Prima Media et Ultima: The First, Middle, and Last Things

Chapter 1

36. CHAP. VI. – Heavens Happiness.

-- 8 of 1009 -- o the Worshipful, The Mayor, Aldermen, and other Inhabitants in The Town of Preston in Amounderness. The Apostle Peter knowing (as he saith) that shortly he was to put off that his tabernacle of the fles

Chapter 2

1. I have brought into method the Duties of a Christian, which I call The

Middle things, in reference to The First and Last things, before Printed: The matter I have for the most part drawn from others, only the method I have -- 18 of 1009 -- framed, as the Lord hath enabled; and wherein all

Chapter 3

2. I have purposely omitted the many Controversies, and tedious Disputes

of this Age: For my part, I see little edifying in them; nay, is not the fat and marrow of Christian Religion lost by them? Were I to advise against any Error, Heresy, I had rather bid my Adversaries read some Books of P

Chapter 4

3. I have the rather fallen on this subject of Duties, both because

necessary in their way, and because they are so much opposed by many of our Age, who surely are not acquainted with them (with the workings of the Spirit in them, and by them) for otherwise it could not be so: If this Er

Chapter 5

4. I have in every Duty, prescribed the manner of performing it; not that I

would tie every spirit to this particular way or method: those who are accustomed to these exercises of Devotion, may perhaps devise other more fitting courses, or ways of proceeding, then these are; and it is reason, an

Chapter 6

5. I have made use in this Treatise, not of one, or two, but of many

precious men; as, Angier, Ash, Ball, Bolton, Byfield, Downham, Dyke, Goodwin, Gouge, Hooker, Leigh, Mason, Rogers, Shepherd, Torshel, White, &c. that the Adversaries of Duties may see what a Cloud of such Witnesses are f

Chapter 7

6. I have writ nothing, but in some measure I have, by the Lord's

assistance, practiced the same, and felt the comfort of it in my own heart and soul; yet by way of caution I desire the Reader to remember, if at any time in the exercise of any of the Duties within written, he also feel

Chapter 8

3. Because of the practice of the Apostles, who cast out the scandalous

from the Lord's Supper, 1 Cor. 5:3-5, see Ruth. Divine right of Church- Government, p. 238,240,268,346. Gillespie, Aaron's Rod blossoming, p. 239, and for 1 Tim. 1:20, see Rutherford, Divine right of Church- Government,

Chapter 9

3. Because the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper is defiled thereby, which

we understand not simply in itself, but in some sort; (i.e.) It is defiled to them who are scandalous, and to them who join with such whom they know to be scandalous: And this appears: —

Chapter 10

3. In that the profane are as swine which trample the pearls under their

feet. Matth. 7:6. Ruth. p. 254,255,638. Gillespie. p. 548,549. It is confessed that the word is a pearl, and yet the profane may hear the word, and instead of defiling it (if the Lord see good) be converted by it, Isa. 2

Chapter 11

2. Because we are charged to withdraw from those who walk disorderly. 3.

Because of the great sin and danger both to him that comes unworthily, and also to the whole Church: The Scriptures from which the Assembly did prove all this, were Matth. 7:6, 2 Thess. 3:6,14,15, 1 Cor. 11:27, to the en

Chapter 12

BOOK I. Prima - First Things

The Doctrine of Regeneration and the Beginning of a Godly Life. -- 38 of 1009 -- he New Birth. JOH. 3:3. [Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.] We read in the former Chapter, John 2:23. When Je

Chapter 13

4. The issue of it, what effects are annexed to it, the Kingdom of God, and

sight of that Kingdom; a man that is born again shall see the Kingdom of God; and, Except a man be born again, he shall not see the Kingdom of God. These be the branches, and of every of them (by God's assistance) we sha

Chapter 14

2. The means to be delivered of it, is by application of the promises, and

these, according to their several objects, produce their several effects; some, A sight of Christ. A desire after Christ. A relying on Christ. An obedience to Christ. A comfort in Christ, not only sought for, but obtaine

Chapter 15

BOOK II. Media - Middle Things

The Means, Duties, Ordinances, both Secret, Private and Public, for continuance and increase of a Godly Life, once begun, till we come to Heaven. -- 133 of 1009 -- ECT. 1. The Proem, or Entrance into the Book. You have

Chapter 16

1. His Privileges, as he is now a Believer in Christ, are,

Justification. Reconciliation. Adoption. Sanctification. Glorification. Of these some of our Worthies have written largely; and amongst the rest, that watchful Soul-rousing, Soul-searching Shepherd: I shall not therefore

Chapter 17

3. Actually in himself: When a man hath the possession of Justification,

immediately after his Union with the Lord Jesus Christ. Now this Justification considered as it is a state of favor, a Covenant state with God, which a man at his first believing is put into, is not reiterated, no more t

Chapter 18

1. By this a sinner is righteous; a wonder that may astonish Angels, for a

man accursed and sinful in himself, to be at that very instant blessed and righteous in another: Our own Duties, Works, and Reformation may make us at the best but less sinful, but this Righteousness makes a sinner sinle

Chapter 19

2. By this a sinner is righteous before the Judgment Seat of God: It is God

that justifies, who shall condemn? Not Christ, he is our Advocate; not Sin, for Christ was made sin for us; not the Law, for Christ hath fulfilled the Law for us; not Satan, for God is his Judge, and if he have acquitted

Chapter 20

3. By this we have perfect Righteousness: we are as perfectly righteous,

as Christ the Righteous. Little children, let no man deceive you, he that doth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. Indeed our own -- 137 of 1009 -- righteousness, though it be the fruit of the Spirit o

Chapter 21

4. By this we have continual righteousness: Do we complain because we

feel new sin, or old sins confessed, lamented, subdued, returning upon us again, and the springs in the bottom filling our souls again, that we are weary of ourselves? O but remember, this is not a Cistern, but a Fountai

Chapter 22

5. By this we have eternal righteousness, that never can be lost: If the

Lord should make us as perfectly righteous as once Adam was, or as the Angels in heaven are, we might be in danger of losing this; but now the Lord hath put our righteousness into a safer hand, which never shall be lost:

Chapter 23

6. By this we please God more, then if we had a perfect righteousness in

ourselves: Do not say, This is a poor righteousness, which is out of myself in another: Suppose it were in ourselves, such a righteousness at best would be nothing but man's righteousness, but this is called The Righteou

Chapter 24

8. By this we have Peace in our Consciences: For Christ's blood is

sprinkled on them, and that cools the burning torments of them: None of our duties can pacify Conscience, but as they carry us hither to this righteousness; only if this Rainbow appear over our heads, it is a certain sig

Chapter 25

9. By this all miseries are removed: When our sins are pardoned, there is

something like sickness, shame, and death, but they are not; The inhabitants of Zion shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity; ’tis no sickness in a manner, nor sorrow, nor

Chapter 26

2. That God should be pacified wholly and thoroughly, that there should

be no consuming fury left for us to feel: Fury is not in me, saith God; indeed briars and thorns (i.e.) obstinate sinners, that prick and cut him to the very heart by their impenitency, he will burn them together: God ou

Chapter 27

3. That the Lord should be pacified eternally, never to cast us off again for

any sins or miseries that we fall into: This is wonderful. Those whom men love, if their love be abused, or if their friends be in affliction, they many times forsake, but the Lord's love and favor is everlasting: The mo

Chapter 28

4. That the Lord should be thus pacified with enemies: A man may be

easily pacified with one that offends him but a little, but with an enemy that strikes at his life (as by every sin we do at the living God) what can we say to this?

Chapter 29

5. That he should be pacified by such a wonderful way as the blood of

Jesus Christ: This is such a love, as one would think the infinite wisdom of a blessed God could have devised no greater: It is enough to burst the heart with astonishment and amazement, to think that the party offended

Chapter 30

6. That being thus pacified, we may come into God's presence with

boldness at any time, and ask what we will; I wonder what he can deny us, if he love us: This is the confidence that we have in him, That if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.

Chapter 31

7. That all Creatures should be at peace with us: Thou shalt be in league

with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee: As when the Captain of the Army is pacified, none of the Soldiers must hurt or strike that man; so no Creature must hurt us, nay all

Chapter 32

1. That the Lord should prize us as his Sons: A man that hath Sons,

esteems them more then all his goods and Servants; so the Lord esteems of the poorest, unworthiest Believer, more than of all his household-stuff, more than of Heaven, Earth, and all the glory of it, more than of all the

Chapter 33

2. That the Lord should take care for us as for Sons: In times of want we

are ready to question, What we shall eat or drink? How we shall live? O consider, are we the Sons of God? Then he that feeds the Ravens, and clothes the Lilies, will provide for us; or suppose we continue in the want of

Chapter 34

3. That the Lord should love us as his Sons: Sometimes we think that the

Lord loves us not, because we do not feel his love, or know his love; but do not we love our Sons, because whiles they are young, they know not their Fathers, or because their Fathers are sometimes out of sight, and have

Chapter 35

4. That the Lord should make us heirs and co-heirs with Christ: Sons by

Nature are not always heirs, but all Sons by Adoption are: We are heirs 1. Of the visible world, 1 Cor. 3:22. 2. Of the other world, 1 Pet. 1:4. 3. Of all the Promises, Heb. 6:17. And herein Jehovah himself comes to be o

Chapter 36

5. That the Lord should give us the Spirit of Sons, The Spirit of Adoption,

whereby we cry Abba Father, The Spirit of Assurance, witnessing with our Spirit, that we are the children of God: It doth not only witness to our Spirits, but with our Spirits, (i.e.) with our renewed Consciences, thus,

Chapter 37

1. The Spirit works in us a Principle of Spiritual life: The Scripture

sometimes calls it a Seed, sometimes a Spring, or Fountain, sometimes The life of Christ, because it is conveyed unto us by the Spirit of Christ, by means of our inseparable union with Christ. What name soever we give it

Chapter 38

3. From these habits of grace abiding in us, ordinarily proceeds Spiritual

motions and operations according to those habits. And as it is with Natural habits, so it is with Spiritual, they are much increased and strengthened by their motions, operations (i.e.) by the use and exercise of them, a

Chapter 39

1. This is our glory, and beauty, even Glorification begun: What greater

glory then to be like unto God? We are changed into the same image, from glory to glory; every degree of grace is glory, and the perfection of glory in heaven, consists chiefly in the perfection of grace.

Chapter 40

2. This will give us abundance of sweet peace: For whence comes

troubles, and doubts of God's favor and love? Is it not some guile or decay here? Is it not some boldness to sin? Is it not our secret dalliance with some known sin, continued in with secret impenitency? On the other sid

Chapter 41

3. This will make us fit for God's use: A filthy unclean vessel is good for

nothing, till cleansed; a man must first purge himself, and then he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. -- 146 of 1009 --

Chapter 42

4. By this we have a most sweet and comfortable evidence of our

Justification: Nor is this a running upon the Covenant of Works; Is not Sanctification (the writing of the Law in our hearts) a privilege of the Covenant of Grace, as well as Justification? And can the evidencing of one

Chapter 43

1. All the Duties of man, they are nothing at all unto God: Can a man be

profitable unto God, as he that is wise can be profitable unto himself? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect? If thou be righteous, what giv

Chapter 44

2. All the duties of man, as they are done by man, are in that respect

sinful: What is Duty, but man's tie to that which is due? Or (if we follow the Latins) what is Duty, but obedience commanded by God, to be performed by man? Now wherein anything is to be done as of man, therein is some m

Chapter 45

1. He takes our persons, and carries them in to God the Father, in a most

unperceivable way to us; he knows, that if our persons be not first accepted, our Duties cannot be accepted: Love me, and love my Duty; hate me, and hate my Duty. It is true, that in the Covenant of Works, God first acce

Chapter 46

2. As Christ takes our persons, and carries them in to God the Father; so

when we perform Duty, he observes what evil or failing there is in that Duty, and draws it out, before he presents it to God the Father: As a child that would present his father with a Posy, he goes into the garden, and

Chapter 47

3. As Christ takes away the iniquity of our holy things, so he observes

what good there is in any of our Duties, and with that he mingles his own Prayers, Intercessions, Incense, and presents all as one work mingled together unto God the Father: And another Angel (viz. the Angel of the Coven

Chapter 48

1. It is a sign that a man rests in his Duties, if he never found it a hard

matter to come out of his Duties: Examine, if thou never yet sawest, if thou canst not tell the time when thou didst rest in Duties, and then didst groan to be delivered from these entanglements, thou hast just cause to

Chapter 49

2. It is a sign that a man rests in Duties, if he exceedingly prize the bare

performance of Duties; those Duties that carry thee out of thyself unto Christ, make thee to prize Christ: Now tell me, Dost thou glory in thyself? Dost thou say, Now I am somebody? I was before ignorant, forgetful, hard

Chapter 50

3. It is a sign that a man rests in his duties, if he never came to be sensible

of their poverty, and utter emptiness of any good in them. Didst thou never feel thyself in this manner? Oh! I am as ignorant as any beast, as vile as any devil; what a nest and litter of sin and rebellion works in my he

Chapter 51

4. It is a sign that a man rests in his Duties, if he gain no Evangelical

Righteousness by Duties (i.e.) if he prize not, desire not, delight not in union with the Lord Jesus Christ: Hence a child of God asks himself after Sermon, after Prayer, after Sacrament, What have I gained of Christ? Ha

Chapter 52

1. That herein, and hereby, they may express their obedience to God's

will: Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (saith the Apostle;) and this was the ground of David's inference, Thou hast commanded u

Chapter 53

2. That God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ may be honored by the

performance of these Duties: Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; and as the Apostle, Ye are a chosen Generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar People, that ye should show forth the p

Chapter 54

3. That Duties may be as Evidences of God's everlasting love to them who

are in Christ Jesus: They cannot save, but they let the foul into Christ, and follow, and accompany such a man as shall be saved. We hear of some that boast of joys, feeling, gifts, Spirit, and Grace; but if they walk in

Chapter 55

4. That they that use and exercise Duties may obtain the Promises:

Godliness is profitable unto all things (saith the Apostle) having the promises of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. There are many Promises scattered up and down in the Word, and hereby if God be not a

Chapter 56

5. That these Duties may turn to our comforts: Not so, as to put

confidence in them, to take comfort from them as a cause; that cannot be, for who can look upon anything he doth with that boldness? But as the testimony of God's eternal love to us. Thus Hezekiah, not as a proud Pharise

Chapter 57

6. That others might receive good, and thereby be occasioned to glorify

God: These things are good, and profitable unto men, saith the Apostle; and, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Christ doth not here encoura

Chapter 58

7. That Duties may carry us to the Lord Jesus, the only Savior; he alone is

able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him (i.e.) in the use of the means: Hear a Sermon to carry thee to the Lord Jesus; Fast, and pray, and get a full tide of affections in them, to carry thee to the

Chapter 59

8. That the Lord Christ may be exalted, and advanced by Duties. The

main end of Duties, is the glory of him who hath Redeemed us with the price of his blood, and by the power of his Spirit; this sets the Crown on his head: Behold King Solomon, with the Crown wherewith his mother crowned

Chapter 60

2. To fall on the Duty; for if we be doing, he will work with us, in us, and

for us. Is it thus (O my soul) that thy heart is stirred, roused, revived? Then set to thy hands, idle beggars must be whipped, he that will not work, must not eat: Remember, we have a life in us, if we be in Christ; and

Chapter 61

3. Because of the absence of the all-seeing and quickening Spirit: It is the

Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak to -- 172 of 1009 -- you are Spirit and life: As the Body is dead without the Spirit, so Duties without Christ's quickening Spirit, are dead a

Chapter 62

1. From God: It is of the very essence of a Duty, that it be commanded by

God. Hence in one Chapter we read thirteen several times, I am the Lord; q. d. such and such Commands I enjoin you: Would you know the grounds? I am the Lord, a God of sovereign Power and Authority, and my Will it is tha

Chapter 63

1. Through the Spirit of God: Now the Spirit works on our Spirits, stirs up

the regenerate part to the performance of our Duties; and therefore look how much there is of the Inner man, of the regenerate part, of the holy Spirit in Duty, so far it is sanctified, so far it is accepted, and no furt

Chapter 64

2. Through Christ: For Christ perfects, perfumes, and presents our Duties

to his heavenly Father; as Duties come from us, they savor of flesh, but the Angel of the Covenant mingleth much Incense with them, and so he offers them upon the golden Altar, which is before the Throne. Here is sweet c

Chapter 65

3. To God: (i.e.) to set forth his Glory, and Free-grace; for as his Name is

blasphemed when we walk in wickedness, so it is glorified in doing our Duties: This is the end of all our Duties, indeed of all our doings; Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God: One Du

Chapter 66

2. Extraordinary, as, Fasting, Feasting.

[Obj.] It may be objected, That in this Analysis there is not that express mention of Christ; and the reason why some vilify Duties, is because the very Name of Christ is not in them. [Sol.] But I answer, If the Name be

Chapter 67

2. Watch we must over anything (in its own being) good: And herein if we

look for the adequate object, including everything that ought to be watched, it is either, Hearts, Tongues, Actions, Which howsoever good in themselves, yet if we watch not, they will soon contract evil. SECT. 3. Of the

Chapter 68

1. Let us take matter and motives to humble our souls under the sight and

sense of this inherent pollution. And to that purpose, consider we the rueful complaints of the holiest Saints against it: O wretched man that I am (saith Paul) who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Behold, I

Chapter 69

2. Let us pray against it, that though it be in us, yet it may not hurt us, nor

be imputed to us; That God would give us his Spirit to bridle our corruption, and especially that he would give us the Spirit of Sanctification, that he would cleanse us from this filth more and more, that he would seaso

Chapter 70

4. Let us consider the Promises of Remission, and those Privileges which

the Saints have in the blood of Christ; and let us actuate and exercise our Faith in respect of such Promises: I knew that thou wouldst deal treacherously (saith God) and that thou wast called a transgressor from the wom

Chapter 71

1. Avoid we all occasions of evil: Be afraid, not only of the fire and flame,

but of the very smoke of sin; it is dangerous to approach near the Whirl-pit, or to play about the hole of the Asp, or the den of the Cockatrice; and therefore prayed David, Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; not

Chapter 72

2. Resist we the temptations of sin: It may be (notwithstanding all our

care) temptations will offer themselves, and urge us to evil, but then we must constantly resist, and this is praise worthy: If a man keep himself sober, when he cannot come to wine or strong drink, it is nothing; but fo

Chapter 73

3. Confess we our sins, mourn we for sin, and especially labor we for

hatred of sin: The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, Prov. 8:13, not only to forbear it, but (as the Apostle speaks) to abhor it, Rom. 12:9, as the meat that sometimes we have surfeited of, our stomach nourisheth and goe

Chapter 74

4. Believe, and by Faith expect victory over our sin; yea, by that Faith in

which we have confessed, mourned, prayed, let us rest persuaded, That such means shall not be used of us in vain: O lift we up the hand of Faith towards heaven, and lay hold on the promises of pardon, on the mercy of God

Chapter 75

1. Endeavor we the mortifying of this sin: Some one sin there is in every

soul of us that is most predominant. Now it is the main work of a Christian, as to fall out forever with all sin, so especially to improve all his Spiritual forces and aid from heaven, utterly to demolish, and to beat do

Chapter 76

2. Lay we load of deepest groans, and strongest cries for mortifying grace

against this domineering sin; especially every Morning and Evening strive with God in our Prayers for a comfortable conquest over it, enforce and enlarge that passage with an extraordinary pang of fervency, cry we -- 18

Chapter 77

3. Bend we ourselves against the special acts, occasions, and opportunities

of this sin; as suppose rash anger, the sin which a man sifteth, and pursueth to the extirpation of it; in this case, he should resolve with himself, not to speak harshly, nor to look fiercely, nor to use any churlish be

Chapter 78

4. As oft as we find any motion of this sin to stir, and show itself in us, it

will be convenient, not only to with-hold our consent, but withal to exercise some act of contrary holiness: As suppose Desire of revenge be the sin, which stirreth up our blood, and boileth within us, we must not only f

Chapter 79

5. Settle we in ourselves a purpose of heart to forbear it for time to come:

In undertaking of which purpose, it will be expedient to set ourselves some short space of time, in which we may force ourselves to the forbearance of it, as for a day, or a month, or the like; and when the prefixed time

Chapter 80

6. If in our daily or monthly review, we find that we have been defective

in performing of what we had purposed, then with an holy revenge we should correct our former errors, beg pardon for our defects, and punish ourselves for such slothfulness, or willfulness, by abstinence from meat, -- 1

Chapter 81

7. Above all, without which all the rest are as nothing, Believe the

Promises of pardon in the blood of Christ: It is Faith in the Promises which will be able to cleanse, and purge the heart from this sin; If the blood of Bulls and of Goats (saith the Apostle) and the ashes of an Heifer,

Chapter 82

1. Guard we the windows of our soul, the Senses: I made a Covenant with

mine eyes (said Job) why then should I think upon a maid? Turn mine eyes from beholding vanities (said David) and quicken thou me in thy way. It is incredible, what a deal of pollution and ill the Devil conveys insensibl

Chapter 83

2. Go we down into our hearts, and consider well all our thoughts; these,

if good, will bring forth good fruit; and if evil, they are the parents and begetters of all sins, the first plotters and contrivers of all Treasons and Rebellions of our life, the bellows and incendiaries of all inordin

Chapter 84

3. Let us make Conscience of our thoughts: By them especially do we

sanctify, or sin against God; by them especially do we evidence ourselves, to be sincere-hearted Christians, or dissembling hypocrites; by them especially will the Lord judge us at the last day, when he will make manifes

Chapter 85

4. Resist and crush we every exorbitant thought which draws to sin, at the

very first rising: Is the temptation strong? Encounter it with this dreadful Dilemma, If I commit this sin, either I must repent, or not repent; if I repent, it will cost me more heart-break and spiritual smart, before I

Chapter 86

5. Lodge we not so much as light thoughts, unprofitable or vain thoughts

in our hearts; they will still be entering in, whilst we are in these houses of clay, yet lodge they must not. Hence the Apostle, Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath; q. d. if thoughts of anger come in, in the mornin

Chapter 87

6. Forget and stifle we all thoughts of sinful actions already passed: The

mind is very apt to run over the passages and circumstances of the same sins, long since committed, with a new and fresh delight; this argues wickedness of heart, and such as when it is ordinary with the heart to do so,

Chapter 88

7. Entertain all good motions put into your heart by the blessed Spirit,

howsoever occasioned; whether by the Ministry of the Word, mindfulness of Death, Christian admonition, reading some good Book, some special Cross, or extraordinary Mercy; feed, enlarge, and improve them to the utmost, so

Chapter 89

8. Endeavor we to preserve and keep up lively, holy, and Spiritual

affections, and suffer them not to cool; or if we have grown remiss, endeavor to recover those affections again: Thoughts and affections are mutual causes of each other; Whilest I mused, the fire burned, said David: and

Chapter 90

9. Let us captivate and conform all the thoughts and imaginations of our

heart, to the Rules and Sovereignty of grace; Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ: If thy change in words, actions, and all outward carriages were Angelical, yet if thy thoughts be sinful and un

Chapter 91

10. Get we our hearts possessed with deep, strong, and powerful

apprehensions and impressions of God's Holiness, Majesty, Omnipresence, and Omniscience: If any thoughts be of power to settle, fix, and draw in the mind of man, they are thoughts of him. What is the reason that Saints a

Chapter 92

11. Let us elevate, and often lift up our hearts towards heaven: Consider

the blissful depths of God's boundless Mercies in Christ; Consider the glory, the everlastingness, the unutterable excellencies of that immortal shining Crown above, which after this life (and this life is but a bubble,

Chapter 93

12. Let us spend some thoughts, yea many thoughts, about the saving

excellencies of Jesus Christ: Consider the wonder of our Redemption, the most admirable, and most astonishing plot of the blessed Trinity, sitting in Council about the saving of our souls; a Mystery which the Angels stoo

Chapter 94

2. If he offend more grievously, then reprove him freely, and suffer not sin

to rest upon his soul. [Obj.] But in this case, when, or how must we reprove? [Sol.] This case is clothed with such variety of circumstances, and constancy of alterations, that we cannot give any particular directions; o

Chapter 95

1. With his Spiritual wisdom; it is that must suggest to him, when, and

how to reprove, whether presently upon it, or sometimes afterwards; whether directly and downright, or indirectly and by intimation; whether personally, or in the general; whether in a fair and milder manner, or with a m

Chapter 96

2. With his heart: A reproof must not spring from any imperious humor, of

censuring, and meddling with his brethren; from any secret ambitious desire, to purchase an opinion and reputation of holiness to himself, or from any other by-end, but from an heart truly humbled with sight and sense of

Chapter 97

1. Apprehend all opportunities and occurrences which may minister

matter of digression from worldly talk, into Divine discourse. It is pity that Professors should ever meet, without some talk of their meeting in heaven, or of the blessed ways and means that lead thereunto; and therefor

Chapter 98

2. Have ever in a readiness some common heads of more stirring and

quickening motives to mind heavenly things; as the cursed condition of our natural state, the dear purchase of Christ to Redeem our souls, the incomparable sweetness of Christian ways, the vanity and vexation of earthly

Chapter 99

3. Get we into our hearts an habit of more heavenly-mindedness, by much

exercise, and intercourse, and acquaintance with God, by often contemplation, and forecast of the sweetness, glory, and eternity of those -- 195 of 1009 -- Mansions above, by reflecting’s on time past, how long thy sou

Chapter 100

2. Be silent from Slandering, Backbiting, False accusing, Censuring: A

true heart is ever most angry and displeased with, most Eagle-eyed, and watchful over, most strict and severe against its own sins; which homebred employment haply hinders, and moderates a man from too much meddling abro

Chapter 101

3. Give not that which is holy unto dogs, neither cast your pearls before

swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rent you: By Dogs are meant obstinate enemies, that maliciously revile the Ministers of the Word, and the Messengers thereof: By Swine are meant those so

Chapter 102

1. Concerning Natural actions, as Eating, Drinking, Sleeping, Visitations,

Recreations, &c. no constant Rule can be prescribed, because it is much diversified by health, sickness, age, constitution; and everyone hath either learned by his own experience, what seasons, and proportions of such na

Chapter 103

1. Think we seriously and solemnly of that Principle, Do as thou wouldst

be done by: In a fellow-feeling real conceit, put thyself into the place, and impartially put on the person of the party with whom thou art to deal, and then returning to thyself, deal out and proportion unto him that me

Chapter 104

2. Abhor with an infinite disdain, to get anything by any wicked means,

wrong doing, or unconscionable dealing; we may assure ourselves in such cases, That besides the secret grumblings of our self-accusing Consciences, the angry eye of God sees secretly our doings, and will shortly, and mos

Chapter 105

3. Let our desire and delight never fasten itself immoderately upon any

earthly thing, though never so excellent: Exorbitancy and error this way, brings many times with it either a loss of the thing so doted on, or it may be a cross, or howsoever a curse. O consider we the vanity of these ea

Chapter 106

1. In general, observe, That we draw and derive from Christ by the

attractive force of Faith, Special abilities, 1. To perform all Duties. 2. To exercise all Graces. 3. To resist and overcome all Temptations and Corruptions which shall be befall us: To this purpose are those Promises of

Chapter 107

1. Then, before we fall on our knees, let us shake off three empoisoning

and heavy hindrances, which otherwise will clog and clip the wings of our Prayers, that they will never be able to ascend up into heaven; as, Sin, Anger, and Distrust: and let us possess ourselves of three excellent help

Chapter 108

2. After we are down on our knees, first repel with an undaunted Spirit,

Satan's Blasphemous injections: Secondly, watch over the world with care and timely opposition, (that if it be possible) not an earthly thought may creep into our heart all the while: Thirdly, strive to hold our hearts i

Chapter 109

3. After we are risen off our knees, first, take heed of resting in the Duty,

take heed of privy pride, and secret hypocrisy, take heed of returning with the dog to his vomit: Secondly, pursue and press after the things prayed for, by a timely apprehension, fruitful exercise, and utmost improvemen

Chapter 110

4. The Time of it.

For the Nature of it, Self-Examination is a kind of judiciary proceeding, in which a man keepeth private Sessions at home, passing a Sentence on his Thoughts, Words, and Actions. Or, for more distinct knowledge, two sort

Chapter 111

1. Discussion is a sifting of our life and dealings, by which we pull things

out of the heap, where before they lay confused, and unseen, and by which we set every fact of ours in open view, that it may be scanned, and seen by itself what it is.

Chapter 112

3. Censure is the judgment that our Minds and Consciences give upon our

Thoughts, Words and Deeds, according to the Rule of the Law. These three laid together, make up the nature of this work of Examination: So that we may not unfitly describe it out of its own Principles, thus: — Self-Exami

Chapter 113

2. That if we have profited in grace, we then consider by what means we

have profited, that so we may make more constant use of such means; or if we have decayed in grace, we then observe by what temptations we were overcome, that so our former errors may make us more wary, and more resolute

Chapter 114

3. That as we meet with any occasions of moment, concerning which we

had a purpose to better our Spiritual estate, we then recall home our thoughts, and make use of our former resolutions, and practice what we did -- 204 of 1009 -- purpose. — Out of all these laid together, we may more

Chapter 115

1. In General, whether of Omission or Commission: For as in the last

Judgment, our Lord will not only give Sentence against Murders, and Oppressions, but against Uncharitableness, and Unmercifulness, in not feeding the hungry, in not lodging the stranger, in not clothing the naked, in not

Chapter 116

1. Because we are many times deceived with shows, thinking that good

which is evil: Thus Paul thought he showed much zeal, when he persecuted -- 205 of 1009 -- the Churches of Christ; and Micah thought he highly merited God's favor, when he kept a Priest for Idolatrous service.

Chapter 117

2. Because in the very works which are truly good, we do many times

intermingle corruptions of our own; sometimes evil ends, and sometimes evil thoughts, and sometimes we perform them in an evil manner; but always in our best devotions there are many imperfections and failings. Indeed th

Chapter 118

1. Procure we a Catalogue of our sins, both before, and since our

conversion; and to that purpose, go we through the Commandments one by one, and in each of them consider what sins are condemned, and what Duties are enjoined: And hereupon question with our own hearts, Whether have I co

Chapter 119

2. The sins thus found out, make we a solemn Confession to God, with

deep Humiliation; let them be dolorous Confessions, with grief and sorrow for sin, and from a sight and sense of it: Thus Ephraim did, and God was feign to acknowledge it, I have surely heard Ephraim bemoan himself: O th

Chapter 120

3. The sins thus confessed and bewailed, let us judge and condemn

ourselves: This is that Duty instanced in by the Apostle, If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. There is a Tribunal that we should everyone erect within us, where Conscience is the Accuser, Reason the Jud

Chapter 121

4. After we have thus judged ourselves, let us then appeal to God's Throne

of Grace; let us desire of God salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ; let us cast all our confidence on him; who never fails them that put their trust in him, and in his precious Merits. SECT. 4. Of the manner of examining

Chapter 122

3. That which God often corrects in thee, even in the interpretation and

guilty acknowledgement of thyself-accusing heart; and if ever the sword of -- 207 of 1009 -- the Spirit shall cleave it from thy bosom (which is infinitely to be desired) it will cost the bitterest tears, and deepest g

Chapter 123

3. Settle we in ourselves a purpose of heart, to forbear it for time to come:

In undertaking of which purpose, it will be expedient to set ourselves some short space of time, as for a day or a month, &c. and when the prefixed time is come, we should then question ourselves, How well we have perfor

Chapter 124

1. We may change only in the outward form, and not in truth: For

instance, whereas the same sin of Covetousness doth utter and express itself by Usury, Simony, Sacrilege, Bribery, Grinding the faces of the poor, Detaining ill-gotten goods, without restitution; we may perhaps insensibl

Chapter 125

2. We may surcease, and refrain from the outward gross acts of such

hateful villainies, and yet our inwards be still defiled with insatiable, sensual hankerings after them: For instance, Whereas the foul sin of Uncleanness doth actuate itself by Fornication, Adultery, Self-pollution, imm

Chapter 126

3. We may change the kind of our bosom-sin, in respect of the matter,

form, object, every way; and yet upon the matter itself, it is but the exchange of one foul fiend for another: For instance, Wantonness may be our sweet sin in youth, and Worldliness in old age; Hypocrisy may reign at on

Chapter 127

4. We may for a time pull our necks out of this strong yoke of Satan (out

of a melancholic pang of slavish terror, serious fore-thought of death, lying everlastingly in Hell) but because it is not the work of the word, humbling us soundly under God's mighty hand, planting Faith, and infusing m

Chapter 128

2. We may be overtaken with this sin, before we be aware; our nature is

very apt to take fire, our corrupt heart is like Tinder or Gunpowder: This sin is called Pecatum in deliciis, our darling pleasure, our minion delight; it is ever ready at every turn to allure us, tempt us, persuade us;

Chapter 129

5. Above all, without which all the rest are nothing, believe we the

Promises of Pardon, and of Sanctification: The Promises of the first sort, I spoke to in our Watchfulness over this sin, and therefore now I shall speak of the latter. The Lord hath promised to deliver us from all our en

Chapter 130

1. Use we retiredness when we fall on this work: To this purpose, saith the

Psalmist, Commune with your own hearts on your beds, and be still: When we get alone purposely to study our hearts, our hearts will then come to us, they will be more apt to discourse with us privately, then in a crowd;

Chapter 131

2. Examine what thoughts are within, and which way runs the stream of

our thoughts: The heart is an house of common resort, into which multitudes of thoughts, like so many guests, enter, and have free and open access; only if it be sanctified, it ordinarily distils holy, sweet, and useful

Chapter 132

3. If upon examination we find a loathness to entertain holy thoughts, and

unsteadiness in them, a misplacing of them (which disorder is a vanity and sin, be the thought materially never so good) or if we find in us many times a taking thought to fulfil the lusts of the flesh, a representing or

Chapter 133

4. After humiliation, we must proceed to Judgment: And to that end

consider, what will be the subject of that great Inquest at the last day? The Apostle answers, The counsels of the heart: And who will be the Executioner? Even Thoughts accusing: O then let us prevent this doom, and this

Chapter 134

5. Let us watch over, and observe our hearts ever after: Thoughts will be

crowding in, when we have done all we can, yet let them know that they past not unseen; where strict watch and ward is kept, where Magistrates, -- 212 of 1009 -- and Marshals, and Constables are diligent to examine vag

Chapter 135

6. Set our thoughts in order every morning, strengthen and perfume our

Spirits with some gracious Meditations on God's Holiness, Majesty, Omnipresence, Omniscience: My soul waiteth for the Lord (said David) more than they that watch for the morning; observe it, if you please, when we first

Chapter 136

7. Now and then propose we to our hearts these two questions: 1. Heart,

how dost thou? A few words, but a very serious question: you know, this is the first question, and the first salute that we use to one another, How do you Sir? I would to God we would sometimes thus speak to our hearts,

Chapter 137

2. Peruse with a broken heart and bleeding affections, the many kinds of

those sins of the tongue, whereof (no doubt, at one time or other) we have been deeply guilty. Some number them in thirty particulars; as, Blasphemy, Murmuring Defense of sin, Swearing, Forswearing, Lying, Equivocating,

Chapter 138

3. Consider we the last Judgment, when men shall give account for every

idle word; for by our words we must be justified, and by our words we must be condemned. Will it not be a fearful Bill, wherein must be written every word that we spoke all our life long? O let us tremble to think of it,

Chapter 139

4. Let us ever after set a watch at the door of our lips: I said, I will take

heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle. It is storied, That when this verse was read, or Lectured upon to a religious person, he cried out, Stay there, and I will hear the rest

Chapter 140

5. Pray we the Lord for the guidance of his Spirit in right governing of our

tongue; The preparation of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord; and therefore prayed David, Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, keep the door of my lips: O the tongue is a fire, a world of

Chapter 141

1. Whether ever our souls were wounded by a clear discovery and wide

opening of our many ulcerous secret corruptions? Whether ever they were affected and pressed with a through sense and feeling of the fierce wrath of God, ready to break out into unquenchable flames of vengeance against u

Chapter 142

2. Whether after these bruising’s and breakings, our souls ever cast their

eyes upon that infinite sea of God's mercy, gloriously streaming through the bleeding wounds of Jesus Christ upon every truly broken, contrite and wounded heart? Whether ever they settled and fastened their sight steadfa

Chapter 143

3. Whether after this sight, and consideration of the work of our

Redemption, our souls ever hungered and thirsted after the precious blood of the Lord Jesus, far more greedily and insatiably, then ever the panting heart thirsted after the rivers of water? Whether ever with strong crie

Chapter 144

4. Whether after this fast-hold upon the Passion and Merits of Christ, our

souls ever received this comfortable news, That we were pardoned, justified, intitled by the Covenant of grace unto a Crown of Immortality, and endless joys in the Heavens? Whether this ever melted us into an Evangelical

Chapter 145

5. Whether after these comforts and sorrows, our souls ever resolutely

abandoned the practice of every gross sin, and threw out of their affections the liking and allowance of every the least infirmity? Whether we have ever since settled ourselves to holiness of life, universal obedience to

Chapter 146

2. What sensible and quickening communion we have with Christ in our

Duties? This is the main business and end of all the Ordinances of Christ. It is ordinary with us to terminate our Devotions with a circular course of praying Morning and Evening, or of coming to Church every Lord’s Day;

Chapter 147

2. Whether we have a constant influence, a quickening power of Spiritual

refreshing, a sensible Spiritual taste of Divine love, or of God himself by this presence of Christ? In right performance of Duties, we come to have fuller Union with Christ, and by this coming to him, we come to, and se

Chapter 148

3. The wants of our Graces: All which we shall discuss at large in the

Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. SECT. 8. Of the time of our Self-Examination. The Scriptures have determined no set time, yet some rules there are, partly in Scripture, and partly prescribed by holy men, which we may mak

Chapter 149

1. There is no danger of surfeiting upon too much; the oftener we reckon

with our souls, the fewer things we shall have to reckon for every time; and the fewer things there be, the more readily will they be called to mind, and more exactly be scanned: This made Bernard say of this work, If we

Chapter 150

2. The time that learned and devout men commend to us, is once every

day: So Chrysostom, Let this account be kept every day; — Have a little book in thy Conscience, and write therein thy daily transgressions; and when thou layest thee down on thy bed, then bring forth thy book, and take a

Chapter 151

3. The time that especially Scripture holds forth to us, is at evening or at

night: I call to remembrance, said David, my song in the night; I commune with my own heart, and my spirit made diligent search: And thus he bids us, Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Upon which wo

Chapter 152

4. Other times may be as occasion requires: When the Church of Israel

was in distress, and sighed to God, then they encouraged each other, Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. When Christians purpose to receive the Lord's Supper, then Let a man examine himself, and s

Chapter 153

5. Besides those daily and casual times, it is convenient also, after some

good space of time, to examine ourselves over again, ex. gr. after a month or a year, to consider ourselves for the month or year past, that we may see how we have profited or decayed for that space of time; for as our m

Chapter 154

1. Hereby he observes something of God to his soul, and of his soul to

God. 2. Upon occasion he pours out his soul to God in prayer accordingly, and either is humbled or thankful. 3. He considers how it is with him in respect of time past, and if he have profited in grace, to find out the m

Chapter 155

3. In that the Mercy concerned me, in respect of my person, Family,

Congregation, as much as any other. -- 232 of 1009 -- Aug. 30, and 31. - We observed as days of public Thanksgiving to God. September. 25. - R.H. died: In his life he was incontinent, and run away with a Journeyman’s w

Chapter 156

1. There is a threefold Self; viz. a sinful Self, a natural Self, and a moral,

virtuous, or renewed Self. The first Self, which is sinful Self, or corrupt Self, is that which the apostle calls the old man, Eph. 4:22, the earthly Adam, 1 Cor. 15:47, the body of death, Rom. 7:24, the carnal mind, Rom

Chapter 157

1. Some things are to be denied simply and absolutely, and so a man is to

deny sinful self; 1. Generally as it imports the whole body of corruption and concupiscence, which we are to mortify and subdue, to crucify and to revenge the blood of Christ against it, Col. 3:5. Rom. 8:13. 2. Specially

Chapter 158

2. Some things are to be denied conditionally, and upon supposition of

Gods special call, and so a man is to deny his Natural Self, whensoever it stands in opposition unto, or in competition with Christ, his glory, kingdom, or command. And this we are to do. 1. Habitually, in preparation of

Chapter 159

3. Some things are to be denied comparatively, and in some respect; and

so a man is to deny his renewed self, his very duties, virtues, graces: I deny not but in the nature and notion of duties we are bound to seek, to pray, to practice, to improve, to treasure up, and exceedingly to value t

Chapter 160

1. That the denial of sinful Self is still imperfect in this life, even in the

most excellent servants of Christ: the best of us feel in ourselves another law and power of sin, rebelling against the law of our mind, and leading us into captivity to the law of sin that is in our members, Rom. 7:23,2

Chapter 161

2. As this self-denial is imperfect, so it is unequal, every man having a

portion of grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ, Eph. 4:7. The same measure of the Spirit is not to be expected in all; all have not the same measure of sorrow for their sin that others have, yet it may b

Chapter 162

3. As this self-denial is unequal, so it is in some respects unlike in the

faithful; as there are diverse measures of it, so there are diverse manners of it: Hence some that have not so strongly denied the outward actions of sin, may have striven more in the self-denial of their inward lusts an

Chapter 163

4. Howsoever this self-denial is in the best saints imperfect, unequal,

unlike: yet we must endevour absolutely and simply to deny sinful-self: We must ever be hacking and hewing at this tree till it falls: we must grieve at it, strive against it, and thus continue grieving and striving all

Chapter 164

1. We are absolutely to deny the whole body of corruption and

concupiscence; we are to mortify and subdue, to crucify and to revenge the blood of Christ against this sin. This is the meaning of the apostle, Mortify your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, in

Chapter 165

3. Be we peremptory in denying the requests of concupiscence, bar up the

doors, give it no audience; nothing is better than a peremptory will if it be well set, nothing worse if it be ill. When Abishai would have persuaded David to slay Shimei, David gives him a peremptory denial, saying, Wha

Chapter 166

4. Take we pains to mortify this sin, I run not in vain, as one that beats the

air, 1 Cor. 9:26, that is, I take pains, but not in vain; I take no more pains than I must needs, if I took any less, I could not come to that I aim at: The less pains we take in subduing this corruption, the more will i

Chapter 167

5. Let us intermix these means, duties or services one with another. Christ

hath variety of blessed employments for us, and we should flee from flower to flower; as sometimes hear, other whiles pray, frequently meditate, and be -- 246 of 1009 -- not seldom in godly company. When our lusting’s

Chapter 168

6. Labor we to get the assistance of the Spirit of Christ. This you may

think strange, The wind bloweth where it listeth, John 3:8. i.e. the Spirit worketh where it listeth; yet this hinders not, but that the Spirit may list to blow in the use of the means: Surely there are means to get the

Chapter 169

1. If you would have the Spirit, then we must know the Spirit; we must so

know him, as to give him the glory of the work of every grace: The want of the knowledge of Christs Spirit is the very reason why men receive not the Spirit. I will send unto you the Comforter, whom the world cannot rece

Chapter 170

2. If we would have the Spirit, take heed we quench not the Spirit, 1

Thess. 5:19. I mean not by quenching the Spirit, a quite putting of it out: But, 1. A growing careless and remiss in the duties of religion. 2. A not cherishing every good motion of the Spirit in our hearts, either to pr

Chapter 171

3. If we would have the Spirit, take heed that we grieve not the Spirit; let

us not drive him by our sins out of the temples of our souls, disturb him not -- 247 of 1009 -- in his gracious and comfortable operations there, but so demean ourselves that he may stay in our spirits, and manifest wi

Chapter 172

4. If we would have the Spirit, take heed that we resist not the Spirit, Acts

7:51. Now we may be said to resist the Spirit, 1. By not doing the good required, when we hang off from that good to which we are strongly moved by the inward pulsations and persuasions of the Spirit of God. 2. By sinnin

Chapter 173

3. By falling into soul sins, such as are the manifest deeds of the flesh, as,

adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Gal. 5:19. Indeed these sins are not fit to be named among Christians. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named amongst you, as b

Chapter 174

5. If we would have the Spirit, let us pray for the Spirit: This was the

means that Christ used, I will pray the Father, (saith he concerning his apostles, John 14:16.) and he will send the Comforter to you. And this was the means Christ puts us upon, For if your earthly parents can give good

Chapter 175

6. If you would have the Spirit, then let us walk in the Spirit, do the

actions of the new man: We know some physic is for restoring, to preserve the strength of the body, and such is this walking in the actions of the new man; it preserves the strength of the soul, it preserves spiritual li

Chapter 176

1. Labor we to see the disease. No man will seek for cure, except he see

the disease: The sight of the disease is half the cure of it. O then endevour we to find out what is our special sin, our Dalilah sin, let us be persuaded and convinced of it.

Chapter 177

2. Observe the baseness of this condition, which appears, partly in the

nature of it, and partly in the evil it brings. 1. For its nature, it is the basest slavery in the world. Israels bondage in Egypt was but a shadow to this: Men that will not deny their corruptions, they are servants to

Chapter 178

3. Abstain we from all beginnings and occasions of this sin: Quench it at

first; if we cannot put out a spark, how should we put out a flame? If we get -- 250 of 1009 -- not the mastery over the first motion to sin, how shall we overcome it when it is brought to maturity in action? As a stre

Chapter 179

4. Proportion the remedy to the disease.

As the lust is greater, so use we greater abstinence; make stronger vows against it; if the tide beat strongly, keep the bank good; repair it by new renewals of our graces in us; make we new covenants against it. What th

Chapter 180

5. Turn we our delights to God, and Christ, and heavenly things: There is

no true self-denial that is only private; a man cannot leave his earthly- mindedness, but presently he must be heavenly-minded; as a man cannot empty a vessel of water, but presently air will come in its place, so a man

Chapter 181

6. Maintain in our souls the authority of Gods truth. Either Self or Christ

will rule in the soul; and therefore set up truth, and let that be the spring of -- 251 of 1009 -- all our actions; he that will free himself from being an hired servant to this or that master, he must hire himself. Wh

Chapter 182

7. Labor to thwart that particular corruption to which we are inclined: Ex.

Gr. Are we given to wrath? Endeavour we to be humbler and meeker than other men! Are we given to the world? Look after the better and more enduring substance in heaven? Consider that the reproaches of Christ are greater

Chapter 183

8. Pray that Christ would baptize us with the Holy Ghost, and with fire,

Matth. 3:11, that like fire he would heat the faculties of our souls, and inflame our loves unto God; for as our love to God is stronger, so our love to holy things will be more earnest, and consequently our hatred to si

Chapter 184

9. Labor after further discoveries of Christ. Believe more, and depend

more upon Christ, yea, let us trade immediately with Christ, for Christ is the only agent in the work of Self-denial. Mistake not, I do not say, that we are -- 252 of 1009 -- mere passives in Self-denial; indeed at tha

Chapter 185

1. We are conditionally to deny our external relations; to this purpose,

saith Christ, Luke 14:26. If any man cometh to me, and hateth not father and mother, and children, and brethren, and wife, and sisters, he cannot be my disciple. Not that religion teacheth or commandeth, or endureth a sa

Chapter 186

1. That relations are the blessings of God: they are Gods gifts, and

bestowed on the saints in a way of promise; Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord, that walketh in his ways: How may that appear? Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thy house, thy children like oli

Chapter 187

1. If they retard us in the way to Christ, if they entice us to make halting’s

in our running’s through fire and through water to the Lord Jesus. Thus as it was said of Levi, so should it be said of every saint, He said unto his father and mother, I have not seen him, neither did he acknowledge his

Chapter 188

2. If they draw contrary ways to Christ, if their ways be cross, Christ

drawing one way, and relations drawing another way. Now in this case, as Christ said, If a man hate not father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters; yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my d

Chapter 189

1. Let us have them as if we had them not. This is the expression of the

apostle; The time is short, saith he, and, What then? It remains that both they that have wives be as though they had none, and they that weep as though they wept not, and they that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not, 1 Co

Chapter 190

2. Let us resign up all to God. This we have done, and this we must do

still. 1. This we have done in that day when we have made up our bargain for Christ. Every soul that comes to Christ, he parts with all to buy that pearl, and in selling all he sells not only his corruptions and lusts, b

Chapter 191

3. This we must do still; we must give up all to God; we, and they, and all

must be at the command of Christ, at the pleasure of God and Christ; indeed nothing is properly called our own but God and Christ; all other things are Gods gifts, lent of God, and therefore of due (as occasion is) we mu

Chapter 192

4. In all things, yea, above all things, be we filled with the Spirit. This will

take off our thoughts from other things that are inferior: if our souls be once filled with the things of a better life, then wife, children, parents, friends will never draw away our hearts. O that our souls would but m

Chapter 193

5. Let us muse on the many relations betwixt Christ and us; he is our

creator, we the work of his hands: he is our shepherd, we the flock of his -- 257 of 1009 -- pasture; he is our father, the great father of the family, who provides all things necessary for them that be under his gover

Chapter 194

6. Let us imitate them (as occasion is) who for Christs sake have not only

in will, but actually parted with their dearest relations. Thus Moses refused that relation, to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleas

Chapter 195

1. As often as he looked on his father, which he almost did every hour, so

often he was strucken at the heart with unspeakable grief; his thoughts run thus, What? And must I needs forsake my dear and loving father? And cannot I else have God my Father? O unhappy father of my body which must sta

Chapter 196

2. No less inwardly was he grieved in respect of his noble wife; for having

no hope that she would renounce popery, and go with him, he resolved also for Christs sake to leave her, and to follow Christ, whereupon his thoughts run thus: And shall I so, yea, so suddenly, and so unkindly leave and

Chapter 197

3. There was yet a third and special care that pinched him, and that was

for his Children; which were six in all. It was the more grief in that they were so young, as that they could not yet conceive what it was to want a father; the eldest was scarce fifteen, and the youngest scarce four yea

Chapter 198

1. That learning, wisdom, abilities are in themselves excellent things.

Aeneas Sylvius, in his Epistle to Sigismund Duke of Austria said, that if the face even of human learning could but be seen, it is fairer, and more beautiful than the morning or evening star. How much more may be said in

Chapter 199

1. In respect of any high thoughts of ours, of any overweening conceit of

our own excellencies. Be not wise in our own conceits, saith the apostle, Rom. 12:16. To which agrees that of Solomon, Lean not to thine own understanding; be not wise in thine own eyes, Prov. 3:5,7. It is a sad thing to

Chapter 200

2. In respect of any use of them according to the world, according to man,

or according to the flesh. Of this God speaketh when he saith, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent, 1 Cor. 1:20. And thus the apostle triumphed over the wisar

Chapter 201

3. It is devilish, for it imitates the devil in plotting and contriving mischief

and ruin against the glory of God, the ministry of the word, the passage of his gospel, the plantation of his grace in the hearts of men: or it is devilish, because the devil usually sets those on work that have a little

Chapter 202

1. Think we soberly of our selves according as God hath dealt to every

man the measure of faith, Rom. 12:3. We were not sober in the apostle’s phrase, if either we took that upon us which we have not, or bragged of that which we have. -- 264 of 1009 --

Chapter 203

1. What are those ends? I answer, 1. To do God more excellent, and more

glorious service. 2. To furnish the soul for a higher degree and a greater measure of sanctification. 3. To do more nobly in Ephrata, and to be more famous in Bethlehem. What a shame and sin is it for men by their abilit

Chapter 204

3. Endeavour to walk before God in humility and lowliness of mind.

What? Are thy gifts more eminent than others? It is the Lord that makes thee differ; and as God hath been favorable to thee, so should his favors be as obligations to obedience, humility, meekness in thee.

Chapter 205

4. Remember it is not the greatness of the gift, but the well-using of the

gift that is the glory of the receiver; it is not the having of anything whether much or little, but the having of Christ with it, that makes it full and satisfactory, sweet and comfortable, useful and beneficial unto ma

Chapter 206

6. Observe and weigh well that the issue and event of all depends not

upon the abilities of man, but upon the all-disposing hand of God. The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, Eccl. 9:11. All our abilit

Chapter 207

7. Esteem we all abilities, gifts, knowledge as dung and dross in

comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord, Phil. 3:8. Thus Paul determined to know nothing but Christ and him crucified, 1 Cor. 2:2. All knowledge, art, learning, is nothing to Christ; there

Chapter 208

8. Consider that gifts and abilities are the stay, and staff, and strength only

of hypocrites; they only lean on these, they only secure themselves in these: are they not hypocrites that dare to plead thus with God himself? Mat. 7:22. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesi

Chapter 209

9. Conclude hence, Though a man have never such parts and gifts, yet if

he have not grace withal, he may go to hell and perish to all eternity; for by his gifts he is not united to Jesus Christ, nor made the child of God, nor estated into the covenant of grace. You see how it is with childre

Chapter 210

1. It must be granted that worldly profits, such as houses, lands,

possessions, are a blessing of God, and useful in their kind and places; namely because they serve for the refreshing, comforting, supporting of our frail weak bodies, while we live in this world. And hence it is that Go

Chapter 211

1. As temptations and snares, when they are either baits unto sin. Thus

Simon Magus offering money for the gifts of the Spirit, Acts 8:20, the apostle doth abhor so abominable a negotiation. Though an idol be made of silver and gold, yet being an idol it must be thrown away with detestation

Chapter 212

2. As oblations and sacrifices, when Christ calls us to dedicate them unto

him, then we must deny them. Thus when Abraham was called from his country into a land of sojourning which he knew not; and when Daniel was -- 269 of 1009 -- called from a kings court to a den of lions; when Moses was

Chapter 213

1. Look we on worldly profits as vanity, nothing; With thou set thine eyes

upon that which is not, saith Solomon, for riches certainly make themselves wings, they fly away as an eagle, Prov. 23:5. Observe 1. The Holy Ghost says that riches are not, they are nothing: those things that make men g

Chapter 214

2. Consider them as instabilities, uncertainties; all worldly things

whatsoever are mutable, changeable, transitory; and hence the apostle stiles riches uncertain riches, 1 Tim. 6:17. Witness Zedekiah who was deprived of his kingdom, honor, estate, nobles, wives, children, liberty, and hi

Chapter 215

3. Consider them as snares: To this purpose cried Solomon, All is vanity,

and vexation of spirit, Eccl. 2:26. Worldlings! Do you not feel this true? -- 271 of 1009 -- Mark but how your worldly cares do rush upon you in the morning as soon as you awake, mark but how they accompany you in the

Chapter 216

4. Consider them as fading in regard of use, which, yet may prove eternal

in regard of punishment. O what a dreadful noise is that in hell. We have lost eternity for setting our hearts upon things that were but momentary. A strong motive to work in us a self-denial of these profits: What? Shal

Chapter 217

5. Compare Christ, and the things of Christ, with riches, or worldly profits

in the particulars forementioned, and thence draw out conclusions: as, Worldly Profits are Vanities, but Christ and the things of Christ are Realities, they are true, real, substantial, solid things, John 6:27. 2. Worldl

Chapter 218

6. Go on in the ways of godliness, though all our profits be hazarded;

keep on your way, and pass not for them, trust God with them; if we do still enjoy them, so it is; if not, yet maintain a constant strong resolution of keeping on in the ways of Gods fear: Thus did Daniel, chap. 6:10, no

Chapter 219

7. Appear for God and his cause, his truth and people, though the issue

may seem dangerous, and when none else will. Thus Esther, chap. 4:16, did with that brave resolution of hers, If I perish, I perish. Thus Nehemiah did, chap. 2:4,5, who, though he was something afraid at first to speak t

Chapter 220

8. Consider that our hearts are not perfect with the Lord till we come to a

disposition to let go everything for the Lord. Look under the whole heaven, if there be any thing we would not forsake, or anything we would not suffer for the Lord, our hearts are not perfect with God. Whosoever he be t

Chapter 221

9. Let all go indeed, rather than be brought to the committing of any sin: it

is better to endure all the frowns and anger of the greatest of the earth, than to have an angry conscience within our breast; it is better to want all the profits and pleasures that earth can afford, than to lose the de

Chapter 222

1. That pleasures, delights, recreations are, in some sense, laudable,

namely, as in a sober, moderate, seasonable use of them they serve for the refreshing, comforting and supporting of our frail, weak bodies, whilst we live here in this world. In which respect the preacher could say, Ther

Chapter 223

1. When they are baits to draw us unto sin; thus it is said of the wicked,

They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ, they spend their days in mirth. And then it follows, Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways; and wh

Chapter 224

2. When they are sin, or the concomitants of sin, or the fruits and wages of

sin. Thus Solomon found them, and therefore denied them, I said in my heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and behold this also is vanity: I said of laughter, it is mad, and of mirth,

Chapter 225

1. Look on pleasures as vanity and nothing. Thus Amos 6:4-6, charging

the courtiers of riotousness; he tells them, They lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; they chant to the sou

Chapter 226

2. Look on pleasures not only as vain, but as vanishing; they are soon

gone from us, or we are soon gone from them; 1. They are soon gone from us, The fashion of this world passeth away, 1 Cor. 7:31. Solomon compares all the prosperity of the wicked to a candle; and how soon is the candle o

Chapter 227

3. Consider this is not the season that should be for pleasure. Son,

remember in thy lifetime thou hadst thy pleasure, Luke 16:25, it should not have been then: the apostle James 5:5, lays a great charge upon those in his time, that they lived in pleasure on earth and were wanton. This is

Chapter 228

4. Meditate upon that last and strict account that must be given for them

all. Rejoice, O young man in thy youth, walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes, Eccles. 11:16, q.d. Live after thy lusts, and do what thou wilt; it is an ironical confession: but remember withal, t

Chapter 229

5. Weigh the fearful end of these delightful things, those morsels which

are sweet in going down, they must come up again as bitter as gall; hence Solomon adviseth, Look not upon the wine it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright; at the last it biteth like

Chapter 230

6. Ponder the carriage of the saints before us. You know the mean

provision that John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ had, his fare was locusts and wild honey, Matth. 3:4, and yet there was not a greater born of women before. Daniel was afraid of taking liberty to his flesh in ea

Chapter 231

7. Do we in some measure for Christ, as Christ out of measure hath done

for us. What? Was he content to part with the pleasures of heaven, the bosom of his Father to redeem poor man? And shall we not part with the pleasure of a little meat or drink for him; What? Was he content to part with

Chapter 232

8. Keep on in the ways of godliness; by this means we shall not lose, but

change our pleasures for the better; if things may be rightly scanned, there is more pleasure in the very act of self-denial, than in all the pleasures of men’s lives; and if such pleasure be in the denial of false pleas

Chapter 233

9. Understand what are the ways of Godliness, and what is in the ways of

Godliness to cause delights. Nothing more deadens the heart to false delights than rightly to know what it is in Gods way that causeth true delights. Now it is the love of God that appears upon our souls in every duty, w

Chapter 234

10. Meditate on these pleasures above, and say (you that have the

experience of the pleasantness of Gods ways) if the nether springs be so sweet, what will the upper be? If the lower Jerusalem be paved with gold, surely that upper Jerusalem is paved with pearls. It is an excellent spee

Chapter 235

11. Above all, Oh taste and see how sweet the Lord is even in the want of

all outward pleasure; this will bear up the heart when all is gone. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the

Chapter 236

1. That Honor, Praise, Favor, good Name as the gifts and blessings of

God. Moses was honorable; and before Moses was gathered unto his people, the Lord bade him to put some of his honor upon Joshua, that all the congregation of the children of Israel might be obedient unto him, Numb. 27:20

Chapter 237

1. When they are as snares or baits unto sin. And in all those, &c. Honor,

Praise, Favor, good name, there are dangerous snares: how prone do they make a man to those sins of vain-glory, self-exaltation, self-admiration, self-estimation? Surely it is a great mercy of God, if any man be preserve

Chapter 238

2. When we are called by God to dedicate them to God. The Lord never

gave us these things, Honor, Praise, good Name upon any other terms, but that we should be willing to part with them for the honor of his name; God never made us owners, but stewards of them for his service, and if ever

Chapter 239

1. Look on Honor, Praise, Favor, Applause, as vanity, nothing. Vanity of

vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity, Eccl. 1:2. -- 287 of 1009 -- Observe here his expression, 1. Vanity, not only vain but vanity itself. 2. Excessive vanity, for it is vanity of vanities.

Chapter 240

2. Beware of those attendants, or companions of Honors, as Vain-glory,

Self-love, Self-exaltation, Self-admiration. Let us not be desirous of vain- glory, Gal. 5: Let us not exalt ourselves above others, let us not strive or study to be magnified by others, let us not please and bless ourse

Chapter 241

3. Be convinced, that of all vices, Vain-glory, Self-admiration, Self-

exaltation, hunting after men’s praise, is the most invincible. The roots thereof are so deep and strong, and so largely spread in the heart of man, -- 288 of 1009 -- that there is no disease in the soul so hardly cure

Chapter 242

4. Learn inwardly, by heart, this gospel-truth, That man’s honoring of

Christ, or being honored by Christ, is the truest honor of man. If any man -- 289 of 1009 -- serve me, him will my Father honor, John 12:26. As the honoring of the father, husband, sovereign, is the honor of a son, a w

Chapter 243

5. Let us herein conform ourselves to Christ. He came from the bosom of

his Father, and from that infinite glory he had with him before the world was; for so he prays, that the Father would glorify him with that glory he had with him before the world was, John 17:5. He left the riches and pl

Chapter 244

6. Let us submit to the meanest service of our God, though it darken our

honors never so much in the eyes of the world. Thus Jerom wrote to Panmachius a godly young nobleman, that he would have him to be eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, hands to the weak, yea, if need were, to carry water

Chapter 245

7. Let us willingly join with those of lower degree in any way of honoring

God. Mind not high things, saith the apostle, but condescend to men of low estate, Rom. 12:16. Thus Jerom advised Pamachius to equal himself with the poor, to go into the cells of the needy. Who knows but that the poores

Chapter 246

8. Let us bear or suffer the most disgraceful thing that can be put upon us

for the cause of Christ; yea though all the world should frown upon us, and cast us off, and scorn us, and account us as a disgrace unto them. As Theodoret reports of Hormisdas a nobleman in the king of Persias court, be

Chapter 247

1. We must not bear Reproaches Stoically, insensibly, for in some sort

they are afflictions. A good name is better than a precious ointment. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold, Eccl. 7:1. Prov. 22:1. -- 292 of 1009 --

Chapter 248

2. We must not bear them desperately as many desperate wretches do,

who usually say, Let men speak the worst, I care not, I must appeal unto God. Though it be true that innocency is a good bulwark, and a good conscience is a brazen wall; yet we are not only to care to approve ourselves u

Chapter 249

3. We must not carry ourselves passionately under Reproaches; there are

many evils follow upon this distemper of heart, as, 1. Thereby we greatly disturb our own spirits. 2. We discover a great deal of evil within us. 3. We show the baseness of our spirits to be so soon put out of frame. 4.

Chapter 250

4. We must not carry ourselves revengefully under reproaches. To this

purpose saith the apostle, Being defamed, we entreat, 1 Cor. 4:13. It is unbeseeming Christians to revile again, and to speak evil for evil. It is said of Christ, that when he was reviled, he reviled not again, 1 Pet. 2:

Chapter 251

5. We must not be hindered in our way, or break off our course of

Christianity when we are reproached. What though filth be cast in our way, shall we decline the way? What though the clouds do arise and darken the light of the sun, doth the sun cease shining, because it is darkened? No

Chapter 252

1. We must bear our reproaches wisely. Though we should not be

insensible, yet we should not take too much notice of every reproach. Christ himself was silent in this case, So that the rulers wandered, Matth. 26:63. David could say, They speak mischievous things, but I as a deaf man

Chapter 253

2. We must bear reproaches patiently. What are we? Or what is our names

that we should think much to bear reproach? Consider, have not others of Gods servants, far holier than we are, been under exceeding reproach? Nay, how is God and Christ reproached? How is the name of God slighted? How i

Chapter 254

1. Be we sure to keep conscience clear. O let not that upbraid us; be we

careful of what we do, and then we need not be much careful of what men say: if conscience doth not reproach us, reproach will not much move us; one of consciences testimonies for us is more than ten thousand slanders ag

Chapter 255

2. If we are failing in anything, let us begin with ourselves before any

others begin with us: let us accuse ourselves first. So some interpret that place, Psal. 119:98. I am wiser than mine enemies; q.d. Tho mine enemies are witty, and do plot, and their malice helps on their invention, yet

Chapter 256

3. Let us exercise ourselves in great things, in the things of God and

Christ, and eternity. Labor to greaten our spirits in a holy manner, and be above reproach. Surely if our spirits were but truly greatened (I mean not with pride, but with the exercising of our spirits in things that are

Chapter 257

4. Make we our moans to God, and lay our case before him, as Hezekiah

(when Rabshakeh came and reviled God, and the people of God) he went and spread the letter before God, and made his moan to God: so if we can but do likewise, we shall find unspeakable refreshments to our souls, and that

Chapter 258

5. Get our hearts quietly and kindly to lament the condition of our

reproachers. Their folly should cause us to pity them, to be patient towards them, and to pass by the wrongs they do to us. This was one of the arguments that Abigail brought to David to quiet his spirit that was so stir

Chapter 259

1. Consider what ends God aims at by it, and labor to work them upon

ourselves that we may attain to those ends. [Which ends are, To humble our pride; to make us circumspect in our walk; to lead us to self-acquaintance, and an examination into our temper and conduct; To raise in us a spir

Chapter 260

2. Draw what good instructions we can from the reproaches of others, as

thus; when I hear men reproach and revile, Oh, what a deal of evil is there secretly in the heart of man that is not discovered till it have occasion? Again, Do I see another so vigilant over me to find out anything in m

Chapter 261

3. Set upon what duty God calls for at the present; The less credit I have

in this world, the more credit let me desire after in heaven; if there be a breach of my name here, let me seek to make up my name in heaven. [To which may be added, That the more we are reproached for what is bad, we ou

Chapter 262

4. We must bear reproaches joyfully and triumphantly. We glory in

tribulation, said Paul, Rom. 5:3.And if I must needs glory, I will glory in things concerning mine infirmities. 2 Cor. 11:50. By infirmities, we are not (say some) to understand the infirmities of sin, but his weakness a

Chapter 263

5. We must return good for evil, and then we come to the top of

Christianity. This is a sign of great progress in religion: If I be weak, saith one, perhaps I may pardon one charging me falsely, but if I have profited, although not altogether perfect, I hold my peace at his reproache

Chapter 264

1. The Understanding must be captivated as it hinders from Christ.

Suppose the word of Christ be contradicted or checked by way of reason or understanding, as in the business of the trinity, union of two natures, resurrection of the body; in this case I must deny my reason, and believe

Chapter 265

2. The will must be renounced in reference to Christ. Servants must not

follow their own will, but their masters directions; how much more ought we who always may justly suspect ourselves, and can never suspect the will of Christ, it being the square of right? For therefore is a thing good,

Chapter 266

3. Our affections and senses must be denied, both as good, and as they are

cherishers of evil, or opposers of good. This latter is that crucifying of the flesh, with the lusts and affections, which the apostle mentions, Gal. 5:24. But all these being within the compass of natural life, I shall

Chapter 267

1. As a sacrifice. If God will rather be honored by the death, than by the

life, by the sufferings, than by the services of his saints, in this case we should be willing to submit to God. Thus many of the martyrs who had opportunity of flight, yet tarried to witness the truth, and gave their li

Chapter 268

2. As a temptation. Thus rather than sin, the primitive Christians, when

apprehended, choose willingly to die. We have a notable story of that heroical mother, and her seven sons, 2 Mac. 7: who rather than they would break Gods law in eating forbidden meats, they died one after another, the m

Chapter 269

1. Apprehend Gods love to our souls in his Son: He thought nothing too

good for us, God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, John 3:16, and this he did for us when we were enemies, Rom. 5:8. Nay, God hath not only given us his Son for a savior, but he hath given us himsel

Chapter 270

2. Get we a sovereign love to God again. It was from this sovereign love

that those admirable self-denials of the martyrs sprung; we must not think -- 302 of 1009 -- they had bodies of brass, or muscles of steel, or that they were not as sensible of torments as others were; O no, it was the

Chapter 271

3. Let us cleave to God with steadfastness and resolvedness of spirit,

come what will come. Thus Barnabas exhorts the brethren, that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord, Acts 11:23. Thus Daniel was purposed not to defile himself with the portion of the kings meat, though it

Chapter 272

4. Endeavour after a disposition or habit to lay down life for a good

conscience. It is a true saying, that None are saved but martyrs; I mean, martyrs either actually or habitually, having faith enough to encourage, and love enough to constrain them to be martyrs, if the honor of their pr

Chapter 273

5. Maintain a godly jealousy and fear of our own hearts; for want of this

all the disciples fainted, especially Peter, and shamefully denied Christ. Memorable is that story of Pendleton and Sanders; Sanders was fearful he should endure the fire; Pendleton seemed resolute, Be not fearful, said

Chapter 274

6. Resist wherein we can, fleshly impediments; for the flesh will be ready

by all means to hinder us from offering this sacrifice to God. As, 1. By distinctions. Is a man resolved to hold his estate, liberty, life, come on what will? Such a one never wants a distinction to mock God withal; so t

Chapter 275

2. By persuasions. Thus carnal reason pleads the case, Give a little to the

times, save thyself and thine. Or thus, What, are you the only quick sighted men; wiser than a church, than a state? May there not, will there not, a law come out in a moment, whereby you may be disfranchised, or exiled,

Chapter 276

7. Consider and peruse the acts and monuments of the church in the case

of martyrdom. Others sufferings cannot but beget some resolutions in us. And herein if we begin with the beginning of the world; as soon as we hear of any work of religion, we hear of the persecution of Abel. Noah’s ark

Chapter 277

8. Be acquainted with the promises of Self-denial; have always a word at

hand to relieve ourselves withal in the worst of sufferings. Now the promises are of several sorts. 1. Of assistance, Psal. 9:18, Psal. 37:24, Psal. 46:1, to the end. 2. Of acceptance, Exo. 2:24,25, Exo. 3:7, 1 Pet. 2:20

Chapter 278

9. Mind the principle that must carry us through death, and make death

itself honorable. We read Heb. 11:34,35,37. That by faith some quenched the violence of fire, Others were tortured. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword; and all thi

Chapter 279

10. When sufferings come, then stir up, and put forth the grace of faith in

the exercise of it: Look up to God for strength and assistance, commit ourselves and cause wholly to him, plead the promise, plead our call that he hath called us to this, plead the cause that it is his. Mr. Tindal in a

Chapter 280

3. If pride be the principle, a man doth not so much strengthen himself

with the consolations of God; or the sweet of the promises, as he doth with his own self-proud thoughts; the heart is not so much taken up with the glorious reward of God in heaven, as with some present self-good here: w

Chapter 281

4. If pride be the principle, there is no good got by sufferings, the soul

doth not thrive under them, it doth not grow in grace by them, it grows not more holy, more heavenly, more savory in all the ways of it, the luster and beauty of godliness doth not increase upon such a one, he is not mor

Chapter 282

5. If pride be the principle, there is not that calmness, meekness,

quietness, sweetness of spirit in the carriage of the soul in sufferings, as where faith is: Pride causeth the heart to swell, to be boisterous and disquiet, to be fierce and vexing, because it is crossed; but faith brin

Chapter 283

6. If pride be the principle, there is joined with that man’s sufferings a

desire of revenge; he would, if he could, return evil for evil, and doth as far as he dares; but those who have faith to be their principle, they commit their cause to God; though men curse, they bless; they can heartily

Chapter 284

2. Faith makes the future good of spiritual and eternal things to be as

present to the soul, and works them upon the heart as if they did now appear. This comes to pass, because faith sees things as the word makes them known, it pitches upon the word in that way that it reveals the mind of G

Chapter 285

3. Faith makes use of things past as if they were present. 1. It makes use

of Gods mercies to our forefathers; thus the church makes use of the mercy of God to Jacob, when he wrestled with him, and prevailed, as if it were a present mercy to themselves. He had power over the angel, and prevaile

Chapter 286

4. Faith carries the soul on high, above sense, above reason, above the

world: when faith is working, Oh how is the soul raised above the fears and favors of men? I care not (said Ignatius, a little before his suffering) for anything visible or invisible, so that I may get Christ; let fire,

Chapter 287

5. Faith gives the soul an interest in God, in Christ, in all those glorious

things in the gospel, and in the things of eternal life: Faith is an appropriating, an applying, an uniting grace; it is a blessed thing to have the sight of God, there is much power in it; but to see God in his glory, a

Chapter 288

6. Faith sets all Gods attributes on work for the good and relief of a

believer; it is one thing to have interest in God and Christ, and another thing to have God and Christ working for us. I will not deny but God and Christ are working still; yet when faith lies still, and is not active, a

Chapter 289

1. That graces, duties are the special gifts and blessings of God. It is of the

fulness of Christ that all we have received, even grace for grace, John 1:16. And the apostle tells us, That God hath blessed us with all spiritual -- 318 of 1009 -- blessings in heavenly places in Christ, Eph. 1:3. Me

Chapter 290

1. In point of Justification, in relation to righteousness, in comparison of

Christ, in the notion of a covenant of life and salvation. It is a dangerous thing to hang the weight of a soul upon anything which hath any mixture of weakness, imperfection or corruption in it, as the purest and best o

Chapter 291

2. In point of Sanctification: for so we are to attribute the strength, the

power, and the glory of all our graces and duties unto Jesus Christ, and -- 319 of 1009 -- nothing to ourselves. And yet understand we aright, though every believer is thus to deny himself, in spiritual things, even in

Chapter 292

1. Be we sensible of, and humbled for our pride in spiritual things. There

is nothing that a Christian is more apt to be proud of than spiritual things. Before he takes up profession, possibly he is proud of his clothes, or friends, or honors, or professions; but afterwards there is nothing tha

Chapter 293

2. Look up, and consider the glory, purity and holiness of God. This

consideration will humble a soul, and cause it to deny itself in spiritual things. See this in Job, no sooner had he a great prospect of the glory of God, but he denied himself concerning his own righteousness, which bef

Chapter 294

3. Have Christ in eye. The more we see a humble Christ, a self-denying

Christ, the more shall we learn humility and self-denial. Now Christ was the most eminent, transcendent example of self-denial that ever was. He thought it no robbery to be equal with God, and yet he humbled himself and

Chapter 295

4. Acknowledge we ourselves debtors to Christ for all our gifts, and for all

our graces. Possibly a man may wear brave apparel, but he owes for them at such a shop, while he is abroad he swaggers, and is proud of his clothes, but when he comes into the shop, and looks upon the book, and considers

Chapter 296

5. Study the gospel, and the way of the gospel. Where shall we see an

humble Christ but in the gospel? Where shall we see the rich and free grace of God in Christ, but in the gospel? Where shall we get faith in Christ, but in the preaching of the gospel, and in the studying of the gospel?

Chapter 297

1. Take a moral, civil man, and though he may seem to be humble and to

deny himself, yet he is proud of his humility. A philosopher coming into Platos house, and seeing it very neat, I trample upon Platos pride, said he. But, said Plato, not without your own pride. Now, a believer doth not

Chapter 298

2. Take a moral, civil man, and though he may seem to deny himself, yet

it is but in this or that particular thing; but a believer denies himself in -- 323 of 1009 -- everything. I count all things but dung and dross, saith the apostle, for Jesus Christ, Phil. 3:8.

Chapter 299

3. Take a moral, civil man, and though he may seem to deny himself, yet

it is but the artifice of his reason and resolution; if I go on in such and such a way, says he, I am undone. Hence he denies this pleasure, and that company. But now a believer denies himself in spiritual things by the

Chapter 300

4. Take a moral civil man, and though he may seem to deny himself, yet

there is no mystery in it; but there is ever a great mystery of grace in a believers self-denial. As thus, he ever cries, what shall I do to be saved? And yet he professeth that he doth not expect to be saved by his doin

Chapter 301

5. Take a moral, civil man, and though he may seem to deny himself in

temporal things, which devils themselves may do, yet he cannot, as the believer, deny himself in spiritual things. One makes mention of a certain godly man that was sore tempted by Satan in his time, the godly man was mu

Chapter 302

6. Rest not on anything below Jesus Christ. Neither grace, nor duties, nor

holiness are to be trusted upon. We must hold them fast in point of practice and obedience, but it is our sin and danger to hold them fast in reliance and confidence. I desire to be rightly understood in this truth. Some

Chapter 303

1. We must not rest upon our own preparations for duties. It is a

commendable thing to prepare our heart; we must pray that we may pray; we should have secret communion with our God, before we come to seek communion with him in a sermon; but we must not rest upon our own preparation wh

Chapter 304

2. We must not rest upon our enlargements in duties. It may be we have a

spring-tide of assistance comes in; a minister preaches with great preference of the spirit of God, and a saint prays, as we find it, in the Holy Ghost Jude -- 325 of 1009 -- 20. i.e. He finds the holy Spirit of God le

Chapter 305

3. We must not rest upon the comforts we have in duty, or after duty. It

may be when we have been at duty and have had some soul-ravishments, O now we think our nest is built very high, and our rock is firm, and we shall go on vigorously; Chrysostom hath a saying to this purpose, Methinks, sa

Chapter 306

8. Let it be the joy of our souls to exalt and set up Christ within our souls.

Though in order to justification we must deny our graces, eye Christ without us, yet we must have a care to see and feel Christs kingdom within us, to set up Christ in our hearts, and to discern him ruling and commanding

Chapter 307

1. To mark things which fall out; To observe the beginnings and events of

matters, to eye them every way, on every side, that they may stand us instead for the future: This observation and pondering of events, with the causes that went before, is the ripener of wit; Who among you will give ear

Chapter 308

2. To treasure up, and lay in these observations, to have ready in

remembrance such works of God as we have known and observed. The Philosopher saith, that Experience is multiplex memoria, A multiplied memory, because of the memory of the same thing often done, ariseth Experience: I rem

Chapter 309

3. To cast these things thus marked and laid in under several Spiritual

heads, of Promises, Threats, Deceits of the heart, Subtilties of Satan, Allurements of the world, &c. I might enlarge the Heads into anything that is good or evil: 1. Into anything that is good, whether it be God, or the

Chapter 310

1. In others, as if we consider how God blesseth and cheereth the

religious; wherein that Text is verified, Blessed are the righteous, for it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings: Or if we observe how God punisheth the carnal and hypocritical, wherein t

Chapter 311

2. In ourselves, as if by a Spiritual Experience we taste God to be good;

wherein that Text is verified, If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious: If we find the things given us of God to be good; as that his Spirit is good, according to that Text, Thy Spirit is good: That his Ordinan

Chapter 312

2. We must endeavor to produce that fruit, that frame of heart, which the

Lord requires, directs, and looks for in such and such cases. Thus the Sanctification of Experiences is evidenced by the Dispositions answering God's mind, which are left upon the heart, and brought forth into the life a

Chapter 313

1. When Divine discoveries are more strongly believed; this is one fruit of

Experience, it wonderfully strengthens our faith: When the Israelites saw the Egyptians drowned, then they believed the Lord, and his servant Moses. When we find all things in the event to be as we believed, this confirm

Chapter 314

2. When the heart by threats is more kindly awed: This another fruit of

Experience, The righteous also shall see and fear; first see, and then fear: When the Primitive Christians saw Ananias fall down, and give up the ghost, then great fear came on them that heard those things; this holy fea

Chapter 315

3. When the deceitful heart is more narrowly watched: Hath it cozened us

once and again? Experience hereof will breed in us a godly jealousy and suspicion over our hearts; we are now conscious of our own weakness, and of the snare that is in every creature, to take and entangle us; and this w

Chapter 316

4. When Satan's suggestions are more watchfully resisted, this is the voice

of Experience in such a case, Doth Satan furiously assail us? Be not dismayed; Are his temptations most fierce? Be we most diligent in the means of grace, the practice of holiness, the labors of an honest calling; Pray e

Chapter 317

5. When the bewitching’s of the world are kept at a great distance from

the Soul: This was Solomon's case and cure, after all his travels and great delights, he no sooner returns as to himself, but he fills the world with this news; What news? Vanity, And what more? Vanity of vanities; And w

Chapter 318

6. When the Lord Jesus is more studied and advanced: The man that feels

Christ's gracious power and virtue, will be sure to exalt Christ, and set him up on high; when Israel saw the mighty work of David in overthrowing -- 334 of 1009 -- Goliath, then David was much set by: The Believers ex

Chapter 319

7. When the people's edification is endeavored: Have we tasted of the

goodness of God? Let us then provoke others to believe, and to serve the Lord together with us; this is one end of Experience, and that use we should make of it towards others. When Gideon heard the telling of the dream,

Chapter 320

8. When a man's own self is more abased: Do we live the life of grace and

true holiness? This will teach us to deny ourselves wholly: If any man (saith Christ) will come after me, let him deny himself; q.d. If any man will come after me in the knowledge of my Will, in the belief of my Promises

Chapter 321

9. When holy love is more increased: I love the Lord, because he hath

heard my voice and my supplication: We cannot taste of the Lord, but we must have a hearty love to the Lord: Will you hear the voice of Experience? This ’tis, O taste, and see how good the Lord is; and then, O stay me wi

Chapter 322

10. When hope is quickened, such times may come, that death and

darkness may surround us, and we may grovel in the dust: But here is our comfort, That tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope: Have we any Experience of God's gracious dealings with us

Chapter 323

11. When joys of the Spirit are raised and stirred up: Who is he that hath

not been delivered out of some miserable exigence? And if we have, we may well say with David, Thou hast showed me great troubles and adversities, but thou wilt return and receive me, and wilt come again, and take me up

Chapter 324

12. When Faith is more and more strengthened, Experiences should be

turned into Confidences: Thus David improved his Experiences, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lyon, and out of the paw of the Bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine: In like manner s

Chapter 325

13. When scruples and doubts are removed, O (cries the soul) I have

many Experiences, but no Comfort as yet. Thus David, after the remembrance of his songs in the night, left his soul still in doubt; and he goes on to say, Will the Lord cast off forever? And will he be favorable no more?

Chapter 326

1. In gathering Experiences, Beware of misprision of God's Providences.

There are many mistakes nowadays, and therefore it is our best and only course, for our security, to interpret all God's works out of his Word: We must make the Scriptures [as we said before] a construing book to the boo

Chapter 327

2. In improving Experiences, beware how we argue from one Experience

to another: Judgments threatened, are not always inflicted after one and the same manner; God meets with the wicked sometimes in this life, and sometimes he reserves their plagues for another. In like manner the gracious

Chapter 328

1. That besides a mere Providence, we take notice of some Promise of

God on which we build: Thus Paul delivered from death at one time, argued that God would deliver him at another time; but in his arguing he eyes the Promise, he hangs on God, which (saith he) raiseth the dead.

Chapter 329

1. Some Promises are disjunctive; as when God in his mercy conveys

anything to us either in particular, or in the equivalent, by way of Commutation and Compensation with Spiritual things. Thus a Christians Experience works Hope, but not always of the self-same outward issue, and manner

Chapter 330

2. Some Promises are conditional in respect of us; as when God promiseth

protection from contagious sickness, and from trouble, and war: If my people which are called by my Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven

Chapter 331

3. Some Promises are indefinite; as that in Jam. 5:14,15. Is any sick

among you? Let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him: — and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up: In this case God may sometimes, yet doth not always perfor

Chapter 332

1. Let us communicate our own Experiences to the good of others. David

in his deliverances invites others to have recourse unto him: Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name; then shall the righteous compass me about, when thou shalt deal bountifully with me. Conceal not with

Chapter 333

2. Let us trade others Experiences to our own particular profit. Thus

David in desertion hath recourse to God's gracious dealings with his forefathers: Our fathers trusted in thee, they trusted, and thou didst deliver them; they cried unto thee, and were delivered, they trusted in thee, an

Chapter 334

3. Let us cast our Experiences under several heads, and make the Word

and Works face one another, and answer one to another: Or to make the work complete, it were not amiss to distribute the frame into three Columns; and in the first to set down Experiences, in the second the Texts, in the

Chapter 335

4. Let us pray with fervency (whenever we set a time apart to view over

our Experiences) that those Dispositions, answering God's mind in every particular Experience, may be written in our hearts, and brought forth in our life afterwards. This will be the chief use and choice comfort of the

Chapter 336

1. Seasons must be observed; for when thick mists surround us, and black

clouds cover us, we cannot so well judge either of ourselves, or of our own concernments: David in desertion refuseth to be comforted; he spilled all the cordials and physic that was brought him, he was not only void of

Chapter 337

1. We must eye the precious promises, and yet not so as that we must

close with them, or rest on them alone, without seeking for, or closing with Christ in those promises; the Promise is but the Casket, and Christ the Jewel in it; the Promise is but the field, and Christ the Pearl hid in

Chapter 338

2. We must eye the inward graces to which the Promises are made, not

that we must be too much carried away with the signs of Christ in our hearts, and not after Christ himself; as pleasures that are lawful in themselves, may be unlawfully used, when our thoughts and intentions are too lon

Chapter 339

1. Let not the use of graces go before, but follow after an address of Faith

first renewed, and acts of Faith first put forth upon Christ himself: Thus whensoever we would go down into our own hearts, and take a view of our graces, let us be sure first to look wholly out of ourselves unto Christ,

Chapter 340

2. Let us in the closure of all, begin afresh to act Faith upon Christ

immediately, with a redoubled strength; as Faith should give a leading to the use of Graces, so the sight of our Graces should be as a back-door to let Faith in again, to converse with Christ: Even as at the Sacrament, t

Chapter 341

3. We must eye the truth of those Graces thus written in our hearts: There

is a great deal of counterfeit Grace in the world; a true Christian can have nothing, as discernible to others, but a hypocrite may have and do for the outward semblance as much as he; it is good therefore to try the tru

Chapter 342

4. We must eye the testimony of the Spirit, witnessing with our spirit, that

we are the children of God: As God hath set up a frame of holiness in every Believer, so he hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit: The Graces of the Spirit are a real earnest of the Spirit, yet they are not always

Chapter 343

2. By presence and influence, which is an immediate work.

-- 378 of 1009 -- This the Apostle calls Witness-bearing, the Spirit brings in the witness of the water, and of the blood, which is his mediate work; but besides and above these, he gives a distinct witness of his own,

Chapter 344

2. For the improving of Evidences, we must endeavor to produce that

fruit, that frame, that disposition of heart which the Lord requires, directs and looks for in such a case, as the admiring of God's unsearchable Grace in Christ Jesus; a sober, moderate and self-denying use of our Evide

Chapter 345

1. A deep admiring of God's unsearchable grace in the Lord Jesus Christ:

Hath the Lord assured me that I am his? O my Soul, stand amazed at this endless, boundless love of the Lord; it is of his grace that ever I did bethink myself of the danger of my sinful course I was formerly in; it is of

Chapter 346

2. A sober, moderate, and self-denying use of Evidence-comforts: I speak

not herein against the frequent actings of grace, or against the simply looking on them, or comforting ourselves in them, especially under sad -- 383 of 1009 -- hours; but against the excessive, overflowing, over-lovin

Chapter 347

1. When we pore more frequently upon the comforts of our own gracious

actings, then upon Jesus Christ and his death; when we live too much on the sight of a new-created birth in ourselves, and the image of the second Adam, though indeed we have Christ himself to live on. 2. When we wonder

Chapter 348

3. A fiducial pleading of all the precious Promises of the Gospel: And hath

the Lord indeed given me a kiss of his mouth, a sure sign of his love? Why then, O my soul, arise, and lay hold on all the Promises, which God of his -- 384 of 1009 -- mercy in Christ doth offer in the Gospel: Be not d

Chapter 349

4. A cheerful bearing of crosses: Hence Paul eying that object of

assurance, that weight of glory, he counts all his afflictions light, momentary; he sung in the dungeon, and reckoned it a special favor to be a sufferer for Christ: The fire of divine love so inflames Christians in this

Chapter 350

5. A holy contempt of Creature-comforts: This is another fruit of

assurance, it will make a man endeavor to rid himself from such feculent matters here, to contemn them, to trample them under his feet, and out of the greatness and goodness of his spirit, ambitiously to long after the p

Chapter 351

6. A bold approaching unto the throne of Grace upon all occasions:

Because we are assured, therefore we beg anything of God with greater -- 386 of 1009 -- affiance; Prayer is nothing else but the stream and river of Faith, and an issue of the desire of that which we joyfully believe:

Chapter 352

7. A valiant adventuring for Christ: Is a man assured of God's love in

Christ? Such a one fears not any troubles, he knows all comes through his Fathers hands, and that man and Devil cannot do what they would, and therefore he goes on comfortably today, tomorrow, and to the end; he is like

Chapter 353

8. An earnest longing for the appearing of the Lord Jesus: As he

adventures and conquers in life, so he can think of death, without any prevailing fear; he can say with Paul, I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ; and with Stephen, Lord Jesus receive my spirit; and with the

Chapter 354

9. A loathing of sin, indignation for sin, contest with sin, and a continual

watch against the baits and allurement of sin: How can it be conceived that a man should be assured of the pardon and forgiveness of many sins, but it will work a greater loathing and detestation of sin, unfeigned abasem

Chapter 355

10. A courageous resisting of doubts, scruples, temptations; not but that

doubts will come after assurance: We see the Sun is one day bright, and the next day is covered; Evidences may be lost, though interest be continued: yet Assurance and Evidences rightly improved and sanctified to us, may

Chapter 356

2. Be in the way of strength: There are ways in which God doth reveal his

arm (i.e.) his Ordinances; he that is too good for the Ordinances, will ever be too weak in his faith. One thing (could David say) have I desired of the Lord, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my

Chapter 357

3. Let assurance know its privileges, and then it will grow stronger. Ye are

a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people: they who descended from the blood of Abraham had more privileges than others, and have not they greater who come of the blood of Christ? The Prie

Chapter 358

4. Observe, and call to mind our former Experiences of God's favor and

love: I will remember (saith David) the years of the right hand of the most High (i.e.) the years and times of my life, wherein I had sweet experiences of God's mercies and love: why, what of that? He tells you, Because

Chapter 359

4. The testimony of the Spirit.

After acts of faith first put forth upon Christ himself, and closing with him immediately, as if I had no present or by-past grace to evidence my being in him: I now bring in these graces or workings of the Spirit of Chr

Chapter 360

14. The unspeakable joy of God's Spirit, which sometimes I have felt in

and after Ordinances; and especially once, when for the space of two days I was carried away into ecstasy and ravishment: This was when I began to see Spiritual things; and upon which followed more desire and endeavors a

Chapter 361

2. This is either by Arguments and Inferences from the word and work of

grace in the heart, or by presence and influence of the Spirit, manifested by a Heavenly impression and irradiation upon the soul by a sweet motion and feeling of God's goodness, and pardon, and mercy, and saving presenc

Chapter 362

17. My assurance of faith, and of my spiritual safety; which is 1. Both by

the evidences of internal vision or reflection, for I know that I believe, as certainly as I know that I live: and 2. By application of the Promises of the Gospel: and 3. By the effects and fruits growing from the root o

Chapter 363

23. Besides these and the like, I may fetch (say some Divines) as good, if

not better Evidences from Mortification, in denying myself, in overcoming my passions, in crucifying my corruptions, as from any graces whatsoever. Rom. 7:24, Rom. 8:13, Gal. 5:17, Col. 3:4, 5:8,9, Tit. 2:11,12. But, O m

Chapter 364

1. Occasional or Extemporal Meditation, ariseth from such things as God

by his providence offers to our eyes, ears and senses. When I consider the Heavens, the work of thy fingers, the Moon and Stars which thou hast ordained: What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that

Chapter 365

2. Deliberate, set, or solemn Meditation, ariseth out of our own hearts,

when purposely we separate ourselves from all company, and go apart to perform this exercise more thoroughly, making choice of such matter, time and place as are most requisite thereunto: Now this Meditation is double, f

Chapter 366

1. For the time: No time can be prescribed to all men; for neither is God

bound to hours, neither doth the contrary disposition of men agree in one choice of opportunities; some find their hearts most in frame in the morning; others learn wisdom of their reins in the night season; others find

Chapter 367

2. For place: We judge solitariness and solitary places, fittest for

Meditation, especially for set and solitary Meditation: Thus we found Jesus meditating alone in the Mount, John the Baptist in the desert, David on his bed, Daniel in his house, Isaac in the field. The Bridegroom of our

Chapter 368

3. For the matter of our Meditation, it must be Divine and Spiritual; viz.

God's Word, or some part thereof: It is woeful to think how some meditate on sin, contrary to God's Word, studying to go to Hell with the least noise of the world; others bend their thoughts only on the search of natural

Chapter 369

1. Upon our first waking in the morning, meditate how the Lord can at the

last day as easily raise up our dead bodies from the dust, as he hath now awaked us out of sleep; and as now we rise from the grave our bed, so then we must arise from that bed our grave. -- 399 of 1009 --

Chapter 370

2. Upon sight of the morning sky, meditate, That if one Sun make so

bright a morning, what a shining morning will that be when Christ (the Son of Righteousness) shall appear, attended with all his bright Angels, Archangels, Cherubim, Seraphim’s, Bodies and Souls of Saints? When there sha

Chapter 371

3. Upon the occasions of the day, meditate, how the Lord seeth us, and

understands all our thoughts, and is acquainted with all our ways: The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in behalf of them, whose heart is perfect towards him, and therefo

Chapter 372

1. A Magistrate, thus, As I judge others, so will the Lord judge me; it will

not be long ere death arrest, and I must go without bail: Me thinks I hear that sound in mine ears, I have said ye are gods; but ye shall die like men. A Minister, thus, The time I have to spend is not mine, but the peop

Chapter 373

3. A Tradesman, thus, What is that balance in my shop, but a memento of

distributive and commutative Justice? If my dealings be not just to a point or pin, I shall then be weighed in God's balance, and be found too light: A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, and so is a true balanc

Chapter 374

4. A Husbandman, thus, As I sow in spring, so I reap in harvest, and God

hath said, He that soweth iniquity, shall reap vanity, but they that sow in -- 400 of 1009 -- tears, shall reap in joy: Lord, whiles I sow in tears, give me April showers of Repentance, that when the harvest comes, and

Chapter 375

5. A Soldier, thus, What trade is this I follow? What devices are these I

carry about me to murder afar off? Whose image do I bear in this killing disposition, but his whose true title is, The Destroyer? I had need look about me that I be in a righteous cause; I am sure, all the titles of God

Chapter 376

5. Upon night approaching, meditate, That seeing our days are

determined, and the number of our months are with the Lord, and our bounds are appointed, which we cannot pass, that one day more of our limited time is gone and past, and we are now nearer to our end by a day, then we w

Chapter 377

6. Upon occasion of lights brought in, meditate, If the light of a poor

candle be so comfortable, which is nothing but a little inflamed air, gathered about a moistened snuff, What is the light of that glorious Sun, the great Lamp of Heaven? But much more, what is the light of that infinitel

Chapter 378

4. Upon the sight of a bright sky full of stars, meditate, How worthy a

Science it is to see and observe those goodly spangles of light above our heads, their places, qualities, motions: But the employment of a Christian is far more noble, Heaven is open unto him, and he can look beyond the

Chapter 379

1. Concerning that part which is in the understanding, it is good to keep

that course which the common places of Natural and Artificial Reason do lead us unto: as to consider the matter of our Meditation, 1. In its description: 2. In its Distribution: 3. In its Causes: 4. In its Effects: 5. In

Chapter 380

1. That we be not too curious in prosecution of these Logical places; the

end of this Duty is not to practice Logic, but to exercise Religion, and to kindle Piety and Devotion: Besides, every theme will not afford all these places; as when we meditate of God, there is no room for Causes and Co

Chapter 381

2. A recommendation of our souls and ways to God.

I shall add no more, but only wish the soul thus concluding, to lift up the heart and voice to God, in singing a Psalm answerable to its disposition, and matter meditated on; and by this means shall the soul close up its

Chapter 382

1. Description.

O my soul, what is this souls love to Christ, whereof thou studiest? It is a Spiritual fire kindled from above in the hearts of his darlings, towards their Bridegroom the Lord Jesus Christ. Or it is a sparkle of that fir

Chapter 383

2. Distribution.

There is a twofold love, one of desire, which is an earnest longing after that which we believe would do us much good, if we could attain to it; another of complacency, when having attained that which we desire, we hug a

Chapter 384

3. Causes.

But whence is this love, O my soul? The Apostle is plain, We love him, because he first loved us: When the Spirit of God in the promises lets in some intimation of God's love into the soul, then she loves him again: That

Chapter 385

4. Effects.

And what are the effects (O my soul) of this love? O this love hath many holy gracious effects, it will make the soul to rejoice in Christ's presence, to grieve in his absence, to please Christ in all things, to desire u

Chapter 386

5. Opposites.

Now what are the contraries to this love of Christ, but a hatred of Christ? One would wonder there should be such a thing in the world, as hatred of Christ: But why then should the Apostle threat, If any man love not the

Chapter 387

6. Comparisons.

But to inflame thy love (O my soul) upon Christ, consider whereunto it is like, or to what it may be compared: The Scripture hath described the outgoings of such a Soul, 1. By the parched ground: My soul thirsteth for th

Chapter 388

2. By the panting’s of a chased Hart: As the Hart panteth after the water

brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 3. By the longings of a teeming woman: I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord, and thy Law is my delight. 4. By the fainting and swooning of one that is in good earnest sick

Chapter 389

7. Testimonies.

And doth not the Scripture express these loves of the soul to the Lord Jesus? If God be your Father (said Christ to the Jews) then will ye love me: —and, Thy name is as an ointment poured forth, therefore do the Virgins

Chapter 390

1. Relish.

-- 409 of 1009 -- O divine love! O the pleasures, O the joys of this love! O honey and sweetness itself! It is the love of Christ, that sets a price on all other Duties; the least service (even a cup of cold water, or a

Chapter 391

2. Complaint.

But alas! Where is my soul? How dull is my understanding? My affection? How careless, how peevish is my soul, in a business which concerns it so much? How prejudicate is my opinion? How vain are my conceits? O my soul! H

Chapter 392

3. Wishing.

And yet, O that I could love the Lord Jesus! O that he had my heart! O that now I could bid adieu to all other lovers! O that the Father of love, and the Spirit of love would strike one spark of love from the Promise, to

Chapter 393

4. Confession.

O my soul, these are sweet motives: But alas, how dull is thy understanding, how dead thy affections? I clearly see there is no strength at all in thee. O how cold, and weak, and faint, and heartless are these thy wishes

Chapter 394

5. Petition.

Come then blessed Lord, and show thy own self to me, I beseech thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me the way that I may know thee: —I -- 412 of 1009 -- beseech thee show me thy glory;— give me the Spirit of

Chapter 395

6. Confidence.

And this (sweet Jesu) I am fully persuaded thou wilt do: I believe, Lord help my unbelief; surely thou art God, who canst not lie, and thou hast promised, that the upright shall love thee. O how should I but believe thee

Chapter 396

1. Description.

O my soul, what is this Eternity whereof thou studiest? It is the entire and perfect possession of a life (together and at once) that never shall have end: The description may be imperfect, and no wonder; For how can tha

Chapter 397

2. Distribution.

There is a twofold Eternity, an Eternity of woe, and an Eternity of joy: First of woe, O woe that never shall have end! The worm shall not die, the fire never shall be quenched: After a thousand thousand millions of year

Chapter 398

2. Eternal joy is from him, the Father bestows it, the Son merits it, the

Holy Ghost seals and applies it: God hath given thee a Savior (O my soul) to give this eternal joy to thee, and God hath given thee faith, whereby thou mayest attain to this Savior; and God hath given thee his Word, wher

Chapter 399

1. For time past they shall remember, that sometimes they lived (at least

some of them) in a glorious Goshen, enlightened with the fairest noon-tide of the Gospel that ever the Sun saw, and that they heard many and many a powerful Sermon; any one passage whereof (had they not suffered Satan to

Chapter 400

2. For Eternity to come, they shall consider, That this Eternity is another

Hell in Hell; might they endure those horrible pains, and extreme horrors, no more millions of years, then there are creatures both in Heaven and earth, they would comfort themselves with this thought, My misery will at

Chapter 401

1. For time past, they shall remember, That sometimes they were in

troubles, in sorrows, in sicknesses, in contempt of others, in dangers by Sea and Land; That sometimes they were ready to perish, and to cast away their souls by this or that sin, but that God still held his special hand

Chapter 402

2. For Eternity to come, they shall consider, That the joy they enjoy, they

shall enjoy forever: They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever -- 420 of 1009 -- and ever. They shall shine: how? As the firmament,

Chapter 403

5. Opposites.

Why then, O my soul, dost thou set up thy rest on this side Jordan? What are those few short pleasures thou here enjoyest? What is this brittle life, on which depends eternal bliss or woe? What is earth to heaven? What a

Chapter 404

6. Comparisons.

-- 421 of 1009 -- But to what shall I compare this Eternity? As a drop of water is unto the sea, and a gravel stone in comparison of the sand, so are a thousand years to the day of Eternity: Nay, if we multiply a thousa

Chapter 405

7. Testimonies.

Is not the Scripture (O my soul) frequent in the mention of Eternity? These shall go into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal: —Their worm shall not die, their fire never shall be quenched: — Depa

Chapter 406

1. Relish.

O Eternity, whether of joys or woes! O that thou wert written in a book, that thou wert graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever! O that my heart were the book! That my Meditation were the iron pen and lead!

Chapter 407

1. Consider the never-dying worm, and the everlasting fire: O the

bitterness of this Eternity! There's a man in fire, and a worm at his heart; the fire burns him, and the worm bites him, yet neither of these make an end of him; there he roars, and yells, and howls, and cries, O woe is

Chapter 408

2. Consider the Eternity of joys. O the sweetness of this Eternity! O

blessed estate of Saints in the kingdom of heaven! O glory, not to be expressed, even by those who are glorified! There is that perpetual spring, which through the fresh and sweet breathings of the Spirit of God, shall f

Chapter 409

2. Complaint.

But alas, where is my fear, my trembling for that Eternity? My love, my longing after this Eternity? What little taste and savor have I of that bitterness, or this sweetness? My soul, what dullness and heaviness is this

Chapter 410

3. Wish.

O that I could mind this Eternity! That I could taste or relish this Eternity! That I were fitted and prepared for Eternity! O that I were wise, that I understood this, that I considered my latter end! O that now while i

Chapter 411

4. Confession.

I desire Lord, but alas, how weakly, how dully, how heartlessly? I am not able, Not sufficient of myself, to think anything as of myself, but my sufficiency is of God: It is nature that pulls me from this holy Meditation

Chapter 412

5. Petition.

To thee, Lord, I make my moan, to thee I tender my humble Petition, and pour out my soul: O give me a taste and relish of this Eternity; O give me this water, that I need thirst no more; O give me such a taste or relish

Chapter 413

6. Confidence.

-- 426 of 1009 -- Behold, O my soul, and do not merely crave, but challenge this favor of God, as that which he owes thee; he owes it, because he hath promised it, and by his mercy he hath made his gift his debt: Is the

Chapter 414

2. Expect nothing from the promise, but that which is suitable to the

nature of it: To this purpose some promises are absolute, which God hath simply determined to accomplish; as the promise of the Messiah, Isa. 7:14, and of the calling of the Gentiles, Rom. 11:26. Some promises are condit

Chapter 415

3. That done, then eye that particular good in the promise which we stand

in need of, and set God's power, and faithfulness, and wisdom awork, to bring it about; for instance, thou art in persecution, and either thou wouldest have deliverance out of it, or comfort and refreshment in it: In thi

Chapter 416

4. By faith wait upon God, in that way he hath appointed; it is true, God

will work that good for us, yet we must use the means, and meet God in the course of his providence, otherwise we live not by Faith, but tempt God, and throw away his promises and all.

Chapter 417

5. Set it down and conclude, that God will do whatsoever he hath

promised, and we shall receive it in the ways of his providence: This is the very work of faith itself, thus it draws sap and virtue from the promise, when it concludes, That according to the good in the promise, it is s

Chapter 418

6. But imagine the Lord delays, and doth not suddenly accomplish, then

must faith take up its stand, and stay till it come: He that believeth, maketh not haste, the vision is for an appointed time, and therefore wait for it; so the Psalmist, As the eyes of a servant look to the hands of his

Chapter 419

7. Imagine the Lord not only delays, but seems to frown, and to say, He

will not hear: In this case, labor with an holy humility to contend with our God, and by strong hand to overcome him, for the Lord loves to be overcome thus. When Jacob wrestled with God, Let me go, saith the Lord; I wil

Chapter 420

1. That not barely the promises, but the person of Christ, is the object of

faith: We are not to rest on the promises alone, but to close with Christ in those promises; and therefore in receiving of, or having recourse unto a promise, we are first to seek out for Christ in it, as being the found

Chapter 421

2. That promises in things temporal and spiritual (not absolutely necessary

to salvation) are not universal, but indefinite, (i.e.) he makes such promises, -- 432 of 1009 -- because sometimes (though not always) he grants accordingly. For instance, that promise of healing the sick, cannot be u

Chapter 422

1. In regard of ourselves; and therein we shall consider matters,

Temporal. Spiritual. Eternal. Things Temporal are either, Evil. Good. We shall begin first with Temporal Evils; and concerning them, first give you the Promises; and secondly, the exercise of faith in respect of those Pr

Chapter 423

1. The Promises to prevent Afflictions, you may read in the Word, and

they are these and the like: Psal. 91:10, Psal. 121:7, Job 5:19, Zech. 2:5, where the Lord promiseth to be a wall of fire to his people; not of stone, or brass, saith Theodoret, that it may both fray afar off, and keep o

Chapter 424

2. The Promises to qualify evils, are these and the like: Psal. 103:13,14,

Isa. 49:13-15, Hos. 11:8,9. In this last Promise, God imitates Parents (saith Theodoret) when any misery is upon their child, their bowels yearn more; never sits the child so much on the Mothers lap, never lies so much i

Chapter 425

2. For Poverty, we may store up these Promises, Psal. 23, throughout,

Psal. 34:9,10, Psal. 37:25, Heb. 13:15. The wicked indeed may have more abundance than the Christian, but here's the difference, the wicked hath all by a Providence, the Christian hath all by a Promise: and this distinct

Chapter 426

3. For Famine, we may store up these Promises, Job 5:19,20, Psal.

33:18,19, Prov. 10:2,3, Psal. 37:18,19, Isa. 41:17,18. Some Martyrs being cast into Prison, and denied necessary food, they had faith to return this answer, If men will give us no meat, we believe God will give us no sto

Chapter 427

1. That all affliction comes from God: Shall there be evil in a city, and the

Lord hath not done it? I form the light, and I create darkness; I make peace, and I create evil: I the Lord do all these things. I know, O Lord, (saith -- 437 of 1009 -- David) that thy judgments are right, and that th

Chapter 428

2. That as God sends it, so none can deliver us out of it but God alone: O

our God, wilt thou not judge them? We have no might against this great company that cometh against us, neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee. This Meditation draws the heart from carnal repose, in means

Chapter 429

3. The causes of all miseries and sorrow, is sin, and therefore its time for

us to examine our ways, to humble ourselves, and to set upon Reformation: I thought on my ways (said David) and turned my feet unto thy testimonies: when Manasseh was in affliction, He besought the Lord his God, and humb

Chapter 430

4. That now God trieth our faith, patience, contentation, and meekness of

Spirit, He hath said unto Crosses, Go ye to such a man, not to weaken his faith, or to waste any Grace of the Spirit, but to purge him, refine him, try him, exercise him, to breed the quiet fruits of Righteousness, to co

Chapter 431

5. That ’tis God's will, after we have gone to the promise, to use all lawful

means of help which God in his providence affords; but in point of dependence, that we solely rest on God's promises: Faith coupleth the means and the end, but looketh to the Promiser (whose truth, and wisdom, and power,

Chapter 432

6. That the promises are in Christ, Yea and Amen, and therefore set it

down and conclude, that God will do whatsoever he hath promised, and we shall receive it in the ways of his providence; it may be not yet, what then? He that believes will not make haste: Daniel waited Seventy years for

Chapter 433

1. Lay open our sorrows before the Lord, pour out our complaints into his

bosom: I am the man that have seen affliction by the rod of thine anger, thou hast brought me into darkness but not into light: — Lord, how am I beset with miseries? How do my sorrows increase daily? How are they increas

Chapter 434

2. Confess our sins with hatred and godly sorrow: I will declare my

iniquity, I will be sorry for my sins: For want of this, God threatened the Israelites, I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offenses, and seek my face, in their affliction they will seek me earl

Chapter 435

3. Importune the Lord, and direct we our supplications to our God: Lord,

how long wilt thou look on? O rescue my soul from their destruction, my -- 439 of 1009 -- darling from the Lions; look upon mine affliction and my tears, for I am brought very low.

Chapter 436

4. Then press we the Lord with his promises: Lord, thou hast said, The

rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the Righteous: Thou hast said, Yet a little while and the indignation shall cease: Thou hast said, In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlas

Chapter 437

5. For conclusion, tell we the Lord, whatever becomes of us we will trust

in him: Though thou shouldst slay me, yet will I trust in thee: —For what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. These are the acts of faith by which it puts forth, and exerciseth itself in time of afflictions. SECT. 4.

Chapter 438

2. Those promises that have a relation to our bodies, are either for long

life, concerning which, Deut. 5:16,33, Prov. 3:1,2, or for health, concerning which, Prov. 3:8, Psal, 103:3-5, or for safety, concerning which, Prov. 1:33, Job 11:18, Hosea 2:18, Job 5:23, or for peace, concerning which,

Chapter 439

4. Those promises that have a relation to our calling, are either for plenty,

concerning which, Prov. 10:4, and 12:11, and 13:4, and 28:19. —or for protection, concerning which, Psal. 91:11. — or for promotion, concerning which, Prov. 12:24, and 22:29. — or for good success, concerning which, Prov

Chapter 440

1. That faith in this case doth ransack, and fan the soul narrowly to find

out and remove whatsoever doth offend: If thou return to the Almighty thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put iniquity far from thy tabernacles: then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of

Chapter 441

3. That faith preserves from the use of all unlawful means: The believer

consults ever what is just, not what is gainful; or what may be compassed by honest courses, not what may be gained by fraud, deceit, cozenage, or the like carnal dealings: Better is a little with righteousness, then gre

Chapter 442

4. That faith leans upon the providence of God, who will keep back

nothing from us, but what is hurtful and pernicious: Here's a sweet act of faith, it submits to God's wisdom, and rests on his providence, after the use of all lawful means; and this maintains a Christian in some measure

Chapter 443

1. Confess our sins, especially those sins which upon search we are

persuaded hinders prosperity: O Lord, I have thought on my ways, and I find (this or that) sin in my bosom, this or that corruption hath gotten head, and hinders thy blessings: O Lord, how should I expect needful things?

Chapter 444

2. Importune the Lord for his Temporal blessings, at least so far as he

seeth them to be for our good, and for the glory of his great name: Thus Bildad tells Job, If thou wouldst seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty, surely now he would awake for thee, and make th

Chapter 445

3. Then press the Lord with his Promises, as with so many Arguments:

Lord, thou hast said, Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is, as well as that which is to come: Thou hast said, Fear the Lord, ye his saints, for there is no want to them that fear him, &c. O these are thy Pr

Chapter 446

1. Faith in prosperity, keeps the heart in a holy temper and disposition

(i.e.) in humility, meekness, tenderness and compassion towards others, in thankfulness, obedience, and in the fear of the Lord: Satan himself could reply to the Lord, Doth Job fear God for naught? Hast thou not made a

Chapter 447

2. That faith makes a man heavenly-minded in the use and possession of a

prosperous estate; as it receives all earthly blessings from God, so it winds and pulls up the soul to God again: and if it be rightly considered, prosperity is the fittest season for heavenly contemplation; the less tro

Chapter 448

3. That faith breeds a godly jealousy and suspicion, lest the heart should

be drawn away with the pleasing delights of things transitory, for by grace it is that we are made conscious of our own weakness, and of the snare that is in every creature, to take and entangle us: Prosperity is pleasin

Chapter 449

4. That faith minds a change, even when our mountain seems strongest:

The thing I greatly feared (saith Job) is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of, is come unto me; by this it appears, that Job always thought upon a change: There is no wind (saith the Proverb) which may not blow

Chapter 450

1. Confess and acknowledge God's mercy both in his Promises and

performances: say, Lord, thou hast promised, That no good thing wilt thou withhold from them that walk uprightly; and surely thou art true in thy sayings, I believe by virtue of thy promise I enjoy this land, and those g

Chapter 451

2. Pray, importune the Lord for sanctification of prosperity, and for God's

blessings upon the means: the more we prosper, the more earnest should the prayers of faith be; for of ourselves we have no power to wield a good estate well, no ability to preserve or keep it: in greatest wealth we lie

Chapter 452

3. Praise God for his mercies, and devote ourselves unto him from whom

we have received all: What shall I render unto the Lord (saith David) for all his mercies towards me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. Men look for thanks, for a small kindness, and s

Chapter 453

3. Those evils that arise from the World, are covetousness, cares, evil

company, &c. and for strength against such, consider these Promises, 2 Cor. 6:17,18, Gal. 1:4, 1 John 5:4, Heb. 13:5. There are five Negatives together in the Original that strongly affirm; q.d. I tell thee, I will never

Chapter 454

4. Those evils that arise from men, are either oppositions against truth,

concerning which, Mat. 10:19, Acts 18:9,10, or oppositions against goodness, concerning which, Mat. 5:10, 1 Pet. 3:14. — or oppositions against both, and so they fall either on our good name, concerning which, Psal. 37:6

Chapter 455

6. Those evils that arise from ourselves are sins and infirmities, and they

are either spiritual blindness, concerning which, Luke 4:18, 1 John 2:27, Isa. 35:4,5.—or spiritual lameness, concerning which, Isa. 35:6, and 40:31. —or heaviness of mind, concerning which, Isa. 35:1,2, Jer. 66:12-14.—o

Chapter 456

1. That of ourselves we cannot resist these spiritual evils; all our comfort

is, that neither the Devil, nor the world, nor the flesh, nor sin, can oppose any further than God will give them leave; not the Devil himself can tempt who he will, nor when he will, nor how he will, nor how long he wil

Chapter 457

2. That faith fortifies the soul against all oppositions, the more they rage,

the more faith heartens the soul to believe, and to keep close under the shadow of the Lord's wings: as the child affrighted, clings faster to the mother; so the poor soul pursued by the Devil, or World, or Flesh, or Man

Chapter 458

3. That in the most forcible tempests, which God, Devil or Man raiseth

against us (when to present sense and feeling all sight and hope of the grace and goodness in Christ Jesus is lost) then faith tells the heart, that a calm is at hand. The last temptation wherewith Satan set upon Christ,

Chapter 459

1. Confess our sins of former ignorance, vanity of mind, self-confidence,

solitary musings on the temptations of Satan, misinterpreting of the Lord's doings, &c. which set open the soul to all other spiritual evils:— O my God, I have disesteemed thy mercy, distrusted thy promises, harbored tho

Chapter 460

2. Importune the Lord for pardon of sin, and for help against all

oppositions: Pardon, O Lord, my yielding to the temptations of the Devil, or Flesh, or World, or Man, or Sin: Pardon, O Lord, the infidelity, doubting’s, dejectedness, infirmities, and carnal excessive fears of thy poor

Chapter 461

3. Then press the Lord with his Promises, as with so many arguments:

Lord, thou hast said, That the gates of hell shall not prevail against us: That whoso pleaseth God, shall escape the strange woman: That whosoever is born of God overcometh the world: That if we suffer for righteousness

Chapter 462

1. The Promises were these: Psal. 37:5,6, Mat. 5:10-12, 1 Pet. 3:14, 1 Pet.

4:14, Psal. 68:13. Though you have lain among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold; q.d. though hitherto you have been as so many abjects, cast into the

Chapter 463

1. That we know not how to prevent it. Men may slander, and men will

slander, so long as the world lasts; only we have these Promises for comforts, and it is the Lord who promiseth, and if he please, he can hide us from the scourge of tongues; or if he please, he is able to restore us dou

Chapter 464

2. That true faith will fortify the soul against all Reproaches: There is an

encouraging voice of the Lord to this end; Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness; the people in whose heart is my law: fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their reviling’s. -- 450 of 1009 --

Chapter 465

3. That if the wicked reproach more and more, yet it is the duty of

Christians to exercise patience. Experience of their vanities, and God's gracious dealings with us, will fortify our hearts: Fear not thou worm (thou poor despicable thing) I will help thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer;

Chapter 466

4. That faith makes the soul circumspect, and in this case doth ransack

and fan the soul narrowly, to find out what is the matter and rise of those slanders and reproaches: If ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye; it must be for righteousness sake, or there is no blessing upon it:

Chapter 467

5. That true faith esteems all such slanders as the most honorable badges

of innocence that possibly can be. If mine adversary should write a book against me, surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me. I rejoice (said Luther) that Satan so rages and blasphemes, it i

Chapter 468

1. To complain to the Lord, as sometimes David did, Thou, O Lord, hast

known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonor: mine adversaries are all before thee. Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none, and for comforter

Chapter 469

2. To petition to the Lord, as other whiles David did, Let me not be

ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave: let the lying lips be put to silence, which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the right

Chapter 470

3. To press the Lord with his gracious Promises: as thus, Thou hast said,

Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my names sake: And if ye suffer for Righteousness sake, happy are ye: And if ye be reproached for the

Chapter 471

4. To pray to the Lord to forgive all his Enemies that trespassed against

him, as sometimes Christ did, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do: Surely in these two things there is much matter of comfort: 1. That our hearts are well, and not ill-affected to any man. 2. That going

Chapter 472

3. Concerning his providence over us, we have these promises, Psal. 34:7,

and 91:11,12, Job 36:7, Zech. 2:8, whence (He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye) observe, That the Lord to express the tenderness of his love, names the tenderest part of the body, nay the tenderest piece

Chapter 473

1. That faith (considering the privileges of God's children) admires and

adores, O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee, before the sons of men? — How excellent is thy loving kindness, O Lord; therefore

Chapter 474

2. That faith (in consideration hereof) rests upon God, and Christ, and the

Spirit of Christ, to receive whatsoever may be good and profitable to the Soul: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want: —He shall lead his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them

Chapter 475

3. That faith hereupon sets a high price upon Christ, upon God in Christ,

upon the Spirit of Christ: These promises are more worth than Kingdoms, Empires, the whole world, which made holy David say, In the multitudes of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul; q.d. I have multitude

Chapter 476

4. Faith in these promises doth greatly enlarge the heart towards God, and

stirreth up to earnest study of holiness; if a Christian be much in the Meditation of God's singular goodness in Christ, it will even constrain him to yield up himself wholly to God, in all manner of godly conversation:

Chapter 477

5. Faith ever runs to these promises in all straits, and here it finds

comforts: Nature teacheth man and beast in troubles and storms to make to a shelter; the child runs to the arms of the mother, the birds to their nests, the conies to the rock, so must the soul have a sanctuary, an hidin

Chapter 478

1. Confess and acknowledge God's mercies both in his promises and

performances: Say, Lord, thou hast said, I will love thee freely:—And I will be with thee, even to the end of the world:—He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye: — And all is yours, and ye are Christ's, and

Chapter 479

2. Pray for this increase of faith, and for a further and further sight of this

belief: Give me, gracious Father, to believe as thou hast promised; create in me the hand of faith, and make it stronger and stronger, that I may effectually receive, what in mercy thou reachest forth; and then give me t

Chapter 480

3. Praise God for his mercies, and quietly rest in the promises: O Lord,

thou hast freely loved, and redeemed, and sanctified my soul; O how should I praise thee, how should I advance and set thee up on high? Salvation, and Glory, and Honor, and Praise be given to thy name, &c. I praise thee

Chapter 481

1. The kinds of Graces are these, Knowledge, and Faith, and Hope, and

Joy, and Love, and Fear, and Obedience, and Repentance, and Humility, and Meekness, and Patience, and Righteousness, and Uprightness, and Peace of Conscience, and Zeal, and Perseverance; sixteen Graces in number: concern

Chapter 482

2. To them, to reward them.

The first Grace is Knowledge, and we find some promises, 1. Of it, Psal. 25:14, Jer. 31:34, Isa. 2:2,3, Micah 4:1,2, Ephes. 3:5, Rev. 21:23. 2. To it, as Prov. 3:14, Psal. 91:14, 2 Pet. 1:2, Prov. 3:18. -- 459 of 1009 -

Chapter 483

1. Of it, as John 14:27, Gal. 6:16, Isa. 57:19, Isa. 54:10. 2. To it, as Phil. 4:7.

The fifteenth Grace is Zeal, and we find some promises, 1. Of it, as Jeremiah 20:9, 2 Cor. 7:11. 2. To it, as Numbers 25:12,13, Revel. 3:19,20. The sixteenth Grace is Perseverance; and we find some promises, 1. Of it, as

Chapter 484

1. That of ourselves we have no ability to attain any of these Graces:

Everyone can say, I purpose well, but the question is, whether they build not on their own strength: Many a man (especially in time of his sickness, -- 461 of 1009 -- danger, disgrace) will make fair promises of amendm

Chapter 485

2. That God's Spirit will infuse these Graces, and the increase of these

Graces into them that believe: Many would fain have Knowledge, and Faith, and Hope, and Joy, &c. but they exercise not their Faith to believe God and his promises: I knew a man in Christ (could Paul say) concerning his R

Chapter 486

3. That for the degrees of these Graces, it is necessary to improve them;

graces improved, are the ready way to have them increased: God ever bestows the greatest measure, where he finds a care to put them forth to advantage: Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abunda

Chapter 487

1. Confess and acknowledge our inabilities: O Lord, I have no grace by

nature, I have no power to cleanse my own heart: O Lord, I have defaced -- 462 of 1009 -- thine image, but I cannot repair it; I may say with the Apostle, When I would do well, evil is present with me, but I find no me

Chapter 488

2. Look we up to the Power, and Grace, and Truth of God, and press him

therewith: Lord, I have heard of thy power, thou art God Almighty, who callest the things that are not, as if they were; thou canst if thou wilt, work in me these Graces, and create them in me, as thou didst gloriously c

Chapter 489

3. Look we on the promises, and pray by them, or turn them into prayers:

Faith hearkeneth what the Lord speaketh, and speaketh back again in fervent groans and desires to whatsoever it hearkeneth: Hence we can make no prayer in boldness, faith or comfort, but for things promised, and in that

Chapter 490

2. The exercises of faith in respect of the Promises.

The first duty is Prayer, to which are affixed these promises, Psal. 5:3, and 10:17, and 65:2, Prov. 15:29, Psal. 50:15, and 12:17-20, Zech. 13:8,9, Rom. 18:13, James. 5:15. The second duty is Praises, to which are affix

Chapter 491

2. That as he is gracious to us, so we should be cheerful in our Duties to

him: This cheerfulness of service, is the very fruit of faith; By faith Abel -- 465 of 1009 -- brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof, an offering to the Lord; By faith David went with the multi

Chapter 492

3. That to make us cheerful, we should rouse ourselves to awaken to the

work of our God: Arise, O my soul, why sleepest thou! Stir up thyself with readiness to obey the charge of God in the duties prescribed; look on the Saints who have gone before thee, they endured imprisonment, loss of li

Chapter 493

4. That to remove all remora’s, the Lord hath promised to assist us in

these duties by his own Spirit: Besides the promises to Duties, we have promises of duties, God deals with us (as we do by way of commerce one with another) propounding mercy by covenant and condition; yet his Covenant o

Chapter 494

1. Acknowledge the goodness and Free-grace of God in these promises: O

Lord, why shouldst thou allure me to that which I am every way bound to? If I had none of these promises, I have already in hand a world of mercies, which do infinitely bind me to duty; and wilt thou yet add this and tha

Chapter 495

2. Bewail our own dullness and sloth to the duty: And yet (O Lord) how

dull, and remiss, and slightly am I in the practice of this or that duty? Thou hast said, Cursed is the man that doth the work of the Lord negligently; and, Cursed be the deceiver, that hath in his flock a male, and vowe

Chapter 496

3. Importune the Lord to revive and quicken our dead hearts to the duty;

so prays David, Teach me to do thy will, thy Spirit is good, lead me in the Land of uprightness; so prays the Church, Draw me, and we will run after thee; and so let us pray, Give me a cheerful heart in thy service, anim

Chapter 497

4. Implore the assistance of God's Spirit to every good duty, beg

acceptance of our persons and performances in the Lord Jesus Christ, press him with his promises to set on duties, and to reward duties; and whatever duty we do, press him with that especially promise belonging unto it:

Chapter 498

2. Concerning Salvation, we have these promises for it, Rom. 6:23, 1

Thess. 4:17. God hath promised us a Kingdom, Mat. 25:34. A heavenly Kingdom, Matth. 7:21. And eternal Kingdom, 2 Pet. 1:11. A Crown of life, James 1:12. A Crown of Righteousness, 2 Tim. 4:8. An unaccessible Crown of glor

Chapter 499

1. That faith in the precious promises of eternal life, quiets and cheers the

heart in the midst of discouragements: This we see in the lives and deaths of God's faithful servants, who took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves, that they had in Heaven a better and an endurin

Chapter 500

2. That faith strives to enter into the possession of this Kingdom by

degrees: Men that purchase an inheritance to come in hereafter, they are glad if any part fall into their hands for the present: Fulness of glory is reserved for the life to come, but the beginnings of glory (as peace of

Chapter 501

3. Faith earnestly desires and longs after the full accomplishment of glory:

Ourselves also which have the first-fruits of the spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the Redemption of the body: I am in a full strait (said Paul) betwixt two, having a de

Chapter 502

1. Confess we our former carelessness to enter upon this inheritance: O

Lord, I have slighted thy promises, I have neglected the motions of thy Holy Spirit, I have not carefully improved the gifts received, I have not labored more and more to be sealed with the promised Spirit: Ah Lord, what

Chapter 503

2. Pray that the Lord would increase our Faith, seal us by his Spirit, lead

us in the way of peace, cause us to grow up in holiness, make us wise to prize and value, to taste and relish the very joys of heaven; and above all, that he would assure our consciences of our right and title thereto: O

Chapter 504

3. Praise God for his Promises of eternal life: O Lord, thou hast looked on

my base estate, and visited me with mercy from on high; of a stranger and foreigner, thou hast made me a free denizen of the New Jerusalem: Now I see, I read it in thy precious Promises, that my name is registered in hea

Chapter 505

2. For Parent and Child, God hath made a gracious Covenant with them,

Gen. 17:7,9, Acts 2:39, Jer. 32:39, Prov. 20:7, Good Parents (though poor) leave their Children a good patrimony, for they have laid up many prayers for them in heaven, and they leave God's favor for their possession, an

Chapter 506

3. The Church of Christ, whether particular (as public Assemblies) hath

blessed promises, Isa. 33:20,21, and 59:21, Mat. 18:20, 1 Cor. 5:4, Rev. 2:1, Psal. 26:8, and 133:3, Micah 4:4,11,12, or whether general and universal, it hath glorious promises, as Mat. 16:8, Isa. 27:3, Psal. 125:2, Zec

Chapter 507

1. That we have had the performance of many of these promises in hand;

and this may persuade us, that the residue (especially of the Churches flourishing, and of Antichrists downfall) is as sure as that part already accomplished, which we see with our eyes; experience should strengthen fait

Chapter 508

2. That the time is now for the Churches restoring, and for bringing in

more Kingdoms from Antichrist to Christ; what else mean all the shakings in all the Kingdoms of the world at this time? Therefore study we this time of God, and in our places and callings, work with providence, now we ha

Chapter 509

1. Confess our former neglect in our several relations: O Lord, I have not

done my duty in my own family, among Christians in the Churches of Christ, I have not performed my vows, served my generation, helped onward the building of Zion: And now Lord what shall I say, but confess to thy glory,

Chapter 510

2. Pray for a blessing on others, as on our own selves, forget not our

relations to others in our best prayers; be importunate with God more -- 473 of 1009 -- especially for Zion, O look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities, let thine eyes see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle

Chapter 511

3. Press we the Lord with all his precious Promises, either to our Families,

or Christian Societies, or to the Churches of Christ: We have a promise, that The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon the assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming

Chapter 512

2. To marry in the Lord, and then to live chastely in wedlock, that there

may be a holy seed: Now that he may marry in the Lord, 1. Let piety be the mover of his affection, and personage, parentage and portion, be only as a comfortable accessory, considerable in a second place: Christianity an

Chapter 513

3. To beware whom he admits to dwell with him, that they be tractable

unto religious courses: See David's resolution herein, Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way shall serve me; he that worketh deceit, shall not dwe

Chapter 514

2. In the governed; whose duty it is both to join together in the

performance of Family-duties with their governor, and to submit to his government: My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother, for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head,

Chapter 515

1. To their Bodies; concerning which, saith the Apostle, He that provideth

not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied -- 477 of 1009 -- the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Now as the Spirit of God chargeth us with this duty, so he setteth us about such thi

Chapter 516

2. To oversee the ways of their Families, that they serve God; and as in all

other duties, so especially in sanctifying the Sabbaths: To this the very words in the fourth Commandment, do bind all Masters of families: Remember, thou and thy son, and thy daughter, thy man-servant, and thy maid; —Wh

Chapter 517

3. To set their house in order for the service of God, to offer prayers and

praises to the Lord morning and evening, before and after meals: This was David's practice, Evening and morning, and at noon will I pray and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice; and this was Jobs practice, who sent for

Chapter 518

1. A familiar catechizing of them in the principles of Religion: Thus were

Parents commanded of old, Thou shalt teach these words diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou rise

Chapter 519

3. A careful endeavoring that they may profit by the public Ministry: To

this end 1. They must prepare them to hear the Word, by considering God's Ordinances, Promises, and their own necessities. 2. They must remember them to look in the Word for a Christ, and for communion with Christ. 3. Th

Chapter 520

2. The duties they are to require of the family, are both carefully to

frequent the public Ministry, and diligently to be conversant in the private worship of God, and constantly to practice all holy and Christian duties -- 479 of 1009 -- comprised briefly in the Commandments of God; and

Chapter 521

1. In wisdom, whose property it is to find out the right party that

committed the fault, to consider of what sort and nature the fault is, to weigh circumstances of age, discretion and occasions; and to look to the mind of the doer, whether negligence or mere simplicity brought him to it

Chapter 522

2. In patience, whose property it is to make the fault manifest to the

offender, that his conscience may be touched therewith; to hear what the offender can say in his own defense, and accordingly to allow or disallow; to avoid bitterness, which sooner will harden the heart, then reform the

Chapter 523

1. That they presume not above their callings: This was Paul's

Exhortation, That no man take this honor to himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron: The honor here, is the honor of the public Ministry, except that, and I know not but that every Governor of a family, who h

Chapter 524

2. That they presume not above their gifts: This was Paul's Exhortation to

every man, Not to think of himself more highly then he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith; yet I deny not but in some cases they may lawfully depute or sub

Chapter 525

1. The first age of a child is his infancy, and the first part of its infancy, is

while it remaineth in the Mother’s womb: Here the Duty lies principally upon the mother, to have a special care of it, that it may be safely brought forth. Why was the charge of abstaining from wine, strong drink, and un

Chapter 526

2. To nurture their children.

Under nourishment, are comprised Food, Apparel, Recreation, means for recovery of health when they are sick; in which if Parents provide not for their Children, they are worse than Infidels: And under nurture, are compri

Chapter 527

1. The first age of a child, is his infancy: and the first part of its infancy, is

while it remaineth in the mother’s womb. Now the duty of parents at that time are these: 1. That they pray for their children: Thus did Rebekah, while the children were quick in her womb. Those parents that neglect this

Chapter 528

2. Let children be Catechized constantly from day today; only with this

caveat, That parents deal with their children, as skillful Nurses and Mothers do in feeding their children, (i.e.) not to give them too much at once: overmuch dulls a childes understanding, and breeds wearisomeness to it

Chapter 529

3. Let parents declare to their children, the admirable works that God in

former times hath done for his Church, especially such works as he hath done in their time: outward sensible things do best work upon children, and therefore this direction was given under the Law, Josh. 4:6,21.

Chapter 530

4. Let Parents be to their children a good pattern in piety, leading them to

Christ by their examples: This will take place with children, more then all -- 484 of 1009 -- precepts or paternal instructions: But as for me (said Joshua) and my house, we will serve the Lord; he sets himself first,

Chapter 531

5. Let Parents reprove and correct their children for sin; and that the Lord

may sanctify this correction unto them, Consider this, O ye parents, Do you observe such and such sins in your children? Enter into your own hearts, examine yourselves, whether they come not from you: Consider how justly

Chapter 532

6. As children grow in years, and in the knowledge of Christ, and of

justification by Christ, let Parents train them up in the exercise of all Duties, as Prayer, Meditation, Self-Examination, Watchfulness, and all means public and private: if this be done, the world to come may reap the b

Chapter 533

1. For direction: when Parents observe their time to draw near, it is their

duty then especially, to commend some wise and wholesome precepts unto their children, the better to direct them in their Christian course; so did Isaac, and Jacob, and David: The words of a dying Parent are especially r

Chapter 534

2. For prayer: then is the most proper time for parents to pray and to bless

all their children. As they commend their own souls into God's hands, so let them commend their children unto God's grace: God's providence and promises are the best inheritance in the world, and if parents (in their pra

Chapter 535

1. The Duty of Masters to the Bodies of their Servants, consists in these

particulars; viz. In a due provision of food for them, Prov. 31:15, and 27:27. In a wise care for their clothing, Prov. 31:21. In a well-ordering of their labor, so as they may be able to undergo it: In their ease, rest,

Chapter 536

2. The Duties of Masters to the Souls of their Servants, consists in these

particulars; viz. In teaching them the Principles of Religion, and all duties of Piety: In causing them to go to the public Ministry of the Word and Worship of God: In taking account of their profiting by the public and

Chapter 537

1. The common mutual Duties betwixt Man and Wife, are either,

Of necessity to the being of marriage; as, Matrimonial Unity. Matrimonial Chastity. Of honesty to the wellbeing of marriage; as a, -- 487 of 1009 -- Loving affection of one another. Provident care of one for another. T

Chapter 538

1. The compassionate and melting compellations which Christ and his

Spouse exchange in the Canticles, My fair one, my love, my dove, my undefiled, my well-beloved, the chief of ten thousand: such a fervent and chaste love as this, all married couples should resemble and imitate.

Chapter 539

2. The Command of God to this purpose, Husbands love your wives,

Ephes. 5:25, and Wives (or young women) love your husbands, Tit. 2:4. Me thinks this charge oft remembered, should ever beat back all heart-rising and bitterness, all wicked wishes that they had never met together, that

Chapter 540

2. A provident care of one for another; which extends to the body: No man

hateth his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it: and to the good name; Joseph was not willing to make Mary a public example: and to the goods of this world; in which if there fall out any cross providence, they ar

Chapter 541

1. The matter of it is a dear love, a special love, and a more special than

that common mutual love to one another: No question the Wife is to love her Husband, and a Brother to love his Brother, and a Friend is to love his Friend, but more especially, or with a more special love, is the Husband

Chapter 542

1. In the cause of his love, which is his love: He set his love on you,

because he loved you; his love arose wholly and solely from himself, and was every way free: so should husbands love their wives, though there be nothing in wives to move them, but merely because they are wives.

Chapter 543

2. In the order of his love: Christ began it to the Church, before the

Church could love him: and as a wall is first smitten on by the Sun beams, before it give a reflection of her heat back again; so the Church is first heated and warmed at heart by the sense of Christ's love, before she l

Chapter 544

3. In the truth of Christ's love: This was manifested by the fruits thereof to

his Church; He gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it, and cleanse it, and present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle: So must husbands love their wives in truth and in deed, by guiding t

Chapter 545

4. In the quality of his love: Christ's love is a holy, pure, and chaste love:

as he himself is, so is his love, such must be the love of husbands, a holy, pure and chaste love. Away with all intemperate, excessive, or any ways exorbitant pollutions of the marriage-bed! From which, if the fear of G

Chapter 546

5. In the continuance of Christ's love: Having loved his own, he loved

them unto the end. His love is a constant love, an everlasting love: no provocation or transgressions could ever make him forget his love; Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet return unto me. Such must be th

Chapter 547

1. He must tenderly respect her, as his wife, companion, yoke-fellow, as

his very delight, and the desire of his eyes, and never be bitter against her. This bitterness ordinarily turneth the edge of his authority: if therefore any matter of unkindeness arise (as sometimes certainly will) then

Chapter 548

2. He must carefully provide for her: To this purpose he is called her

Head, and Savior, as Christ is the head of his Church, and the Savior of the body: The Head (you know) is the fountain of motion, quickening, life, sense and lightsomeness to the body; so should the husband be as the wel

Chapter 549

1. What if her husband be a son of Belial, an enemy to Christ? Must she

then yield subjection?— Yes: because in his office her husband is as in Christ's stead: The Church is compared to a lilly among thorns, she remains lilly like, white, soft, pleasant, and amiable, though she be joined wit

Chapter 550

2. What if her husband command things contrary to Christ? Must she

therein be subject? — No: Submit, &c. How? As unto the Lord: if she submits to things contrary to Christ, she submits not as to the Lord. Conscientious wives must remember they have a husband in heaven, as well as on ear

Chapter 551

1. That she be careful to preserve his person, in sickness or health, in

adversity or prosperity, in youth or old age. A most memorable and famous pattern for this purpose, is recorded by Vives: A young, tender and beautiful Maid was matched (as he reports) to a man stricken in years, whom af

Chapter 552

3. That she help her husband, in setting forward the rich and royal trade of

Grace, in erecting and establishing Christ's glorious Kingdom in their house, and especially in their own hearts. This is that one necessary thing, without which their Family is but Satan's Seminary, and a Nursery for he

Chapter 553

1. The inward Duties which children owe to their parents, are, Love and

Fear: Love like Sugar sweetens Fear, and Fear like Salt seasons Love; there must be a loving-fear, and a fearing-love. Hence the fear of a child, is -- 495 of 1009 -- opposed to the fear of a slave; for a childes fear

Chapter 554

1. In their Reverence, in speech and carriage: They must give to their

parents reverent and honorable titles, meek and humble speeches, obeisance, as becomes their age and sex: Thus Joseph and Solomon bowed, the one to his father, the other to his mother. Contrary hereto is mocking and desp

Chapter 555

2. In their obedience to their Commands, Instructions, Reproofs and

Corrections of their Parents, Eph. 6:1, Prov. 1:8,9, the reason is, because of God, whom the father represents: Children must remember, that whatsoever they do to their parents, they do it to God; when they please them,

Chapter 556

3. In their Recompence: This is a Duty whereby children endeavor (as

much as in them lies) to repay what they can for the parents kindness, care and cost towards them, in way of thankfulness: If any widow have children, or nephews, let them learn first to show kindness at home, and to req

Chapter 557

1. The inward Duty is Fear: Servants, be subject to your masters with all

fear, and account them worthy of all honor: So proper is this fear to a Servant, as where it is wanting, there is a plain denial of his Masters place -- 497 of 1009 -- and power: If I be a master, where is my fear? Sai

Chapter 558

1. Reverence, which is manifested in speech and carriage. Thus servants

must give reverend titles to their Masters, as Father, Lord, and Master, &c. They must yield obeisance to them; as The children of the prophets, when they saw that the Spirit of Elijah rested on Elishah, they came to mee

Chapter 559

1. How far they must obey; or what is the extent of servant’s obedience to

Masters? — The Apostle answers, Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh: It is not sufficient that servants perform well their Duties in some things; they must do it in all things, yea in things

Chapter 560

2. But what if God and Master should command contrary things?— In

such a case the Apostle sets down an excellent limitation in these four phrases, 1. As unto Christ: 2. As the servants of Christ: 3. Doing the will of God: 4. [As to the Lord:] All these imply, That if Masters command th

Chapter 561

3. But some Anabaptists object, That all men are alike, and that there is no

such difference as betwixt Masters and Servants, nay it is expressly forbidden to be Servants of men. I answer, I answer, to be a servant, in that place, is not simply to be in subjection under another, but to be so obse

Chapter 562

1. We must renounce and discharge all wicked society: For what

fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? What agreement hath the Temp

Chapter 563

1. Humility: Humble men contend not, censure not, quarrel not, disdain

not: They can meet with unequal respects of age, sex, state and parts; they can discern even in women what is to be honored, and if there be not always so profound a judgment, yet many times there is more holy, and more

Chapter 564

2. Acknowledgement, and the prizing of others gifts: It is said of Apollos,

That though he were an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, yet he so far acknowledged and honored the Graces of God, and the gifts that were in Aquila and Priscilla, (a plain couple, an handy-crafts man and his w

Chapter 565

3. Self-denial: Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory, but in

lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves: Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others: How goodly is it to see a man who hath parts, and gifts, and graces, to d

Chapter 566

4. Love: A grace of such use and influence, that without love there can be

no Christian Society; it is love that joins hands and hearts: So the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, For Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Love disposeth men to all spiritual Offices, to pray together,

Chapter 567

5. Amiableness, Facility or Condescension: Rugged stones unhewn and

unsquared, cannot fitly lie and join together in one building; sour, harsh and sullen spirits, are not fit for society: If there be a Nabal, who is such a son of Belial, that no man can speak to him, he may not be entert

Chapter 568

6. Sobriety of spirit, in the suspending of all rashness of censures, and a

patient bearing with some errors and offenses, which unavoidably will sometimes fall out: The Apostle had respect unto this, when he admonished the Colossians, To forbear one another, and to forgive one another, if any m

Chapter 569

7. Innocency, harmlessness, or inoffensiveness of conversation: Nothing

more destroys Christian-Society, then frequent lies, flatteries, whispering, scoffs, calumnies, and invented slanders: Hence James calls the tongue, An unruly evil, full of deadly poison; — And if this member be not tame

Chapter 570

8. A holy coveting of excellent gifts: Emulation ordinarily engenders

strife, and overthrows Christian-Society; But this holy contention, this spiritual emulation, this zeal after more perfection of gifts and graces, the Apostle enjoineth, Covet earnestly the best gifts; q.d. affect, emula

Chapter 571

9. Wisdom: Both to discern where the rich treasure lies, and to be able to

draw it forth: There lies many times a great deal of spiritual wealth, in some obscure and neglected Christians, which many supercilious and conceited professors do pass by and neglect: One would not think what dexterity

Chapter 572

1. There must be in Christian-Society, a mutual exchange and imparting

of Gifts and Graces: God hath dispensed variety of gifts unto his people; as Job was exemplary for patience and uprightness; Moses for faithfulness and meekness; Josiah for tenderness and activity in the cause of Reforma

Chapter 573

1. To the bodies of one another: The primitive Christians excelled in this

care, they put their estates (by reason of the persecution) into a common stock, that all, even the poorest sort, that in those hard and uncertain times, gave their names to Christianity, might be tended and looked on wi

Chapter 574

11. Enemies. It is truly an acceptable service to God, and a glorious

Ministry, to tend the Lord's poor and sick; therefore Paul sometimes took upon him the fellowship of the ministering to the Saints, as he was desired by the Churches of Mecedonia, whom he commends for their charity, and

Chapter 575

1. In watching over one another: I know we have Enemies that

maliciously watch over us for our halting’s, but it is the part of a friend, to watch over his companion for good; we are apt enough to neglect our own watch, we had need to have either prying enemies, or faithful friend

Chapter 576

2. In admonishing and reproving those that fall: This is a great Duty, but

much neglected. Reverend Mr. Bolton, speaking of that grave and religious Judge Nichols (who desired him sometimes to deal plainly with him) -- 508 of 1009 -- confessed after the Judges death, that he was grieved at hi

Chapter 577

3. In recovering those that are fallen, through a spirit of meekness:

Brethren, if any man be overtaken with a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Christians should not triumph over them that are on th

Chapter 578

4. In instructing the ignorant, dull, and less capable: To this purpose we

should rather keep a slow pace, then willingly out-go the young and tender Lambs: O despise them not here, with whom we shall have eternal company in heaven; it may be they can reach no higher than the very Principles of

Chapter 579

5. In encouraging weak beginners: bid them welcome that stand upon the

threshold, that linger in the porch of this Society, and would be glad to sit down among the Disciples of Christ. It was prophesied of Christ, A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench:

Chapter 580

6. In stirring up the Spirits and gifts of one another: Consider one another

(saith the Apostle) to provoke unto love and to good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, but exhorting one another. A mean person by asking a question, may lay the first stone, whereupon a goodly f

Chapter 581

7. In raising, cheering, comforting the dejected and dismayed Spirit: How

did the Martyrs in their Prisons set one another at liberty from the bondage of fears? How did holy Bradford’s sweet and cheerful company, make the very dungeons lightsome, and Palace-like to his fellow-prisoners? An unb

Chapter 582

1. In hearing the Word, by quickening one another unto it, by helping the

negligent to apply it, by taking forth the several portions belonging to the several conditions and necessities of each, by praying for one another, that it might be useful and seasonable to all. -- 510 of 1009 --

Chapter 583

2. In the Sacraments, joining in one another, beholding their order and

steadfastness of faith in Christ: How should they but rejoice together in the love of God, feeding at the same Table as those that shall meet and sit down with Christ in his Kingdom of Glory? How should they but behold t

Chapter 584

3. In Prayer for and with each other: In Primitive times, they used to

transact one another's affairs in the Court of Heaven by Prayer: Pray always (said Paul) with all prayer and supplication, for all Saints, and for me: — and, Pray one for another (said James) that ye may be healed; q.d.

Chapter 585

5. In mutual bemoaning’s, confessions, and opening of our sores and

wounds; it may be, when the Apostle saith, Confess your faults one to another, he means more than acknowledgement of offenses, whereby a man -- 511 of 1009 -- hath sinned against his brother; viz. that Christians shoul

Chapter 586

6. In holy Conference: This indeed is it that might much improve the

meeting of Christians. In the Prophets time, when proud scorners, and profane spirited men talked vainly, and did even what they list, then they that feared the Lord met, and spake often one to another; no doubt they spa

Chapter 587

3. If we observe any of the Society to fall into any sin or scandal, he that

observes it shall first warn the party thereof; and if he offend again in the same kind, the observer shall then join with himself one or two more to warn the same party; and if he will not hear them, the observer or any

Chapter 588

5. That for admission of any into our Society, we will not be too strict nor

too large; not too strict in excluding any, in whom we have any good hopes of sincerity, and real desire to increase their knowledge, and mutual love, though they may be but weak in gifts; nor too large in admitting such

Chapter 589

6. That for better regulating of this Society, we will have a Moderator.

And what further Orders we or any of us shall hereafter think upon, we shall propound the same to the Society at our next meeting; and the same shall be confirmed or annulled, as it shall be agreed by the major vote of o

Chapter 590

7. That the Moderator shall propound the Question and matter of our

Discourse the week before it be discussed; and at every meeting begin with Prayer, and end with Thanksgiving. SECT. 6. Of some Questions of Practical Divinity, which at the Conference were propounded and answered. The Qu

Chapter 591

24. Christ is our all in all, Col. 3:11.

SECT. 7. Of some Questions or Cases of Conscience, which at the Conference were propounded and answered. The Questions concerning Cases of Conscience, were these and the like: SUB-SECT 1. Whether a Believer may profit mo

Chapter 592

4. Because in secret they could take more pains with their heart; as in

midst of Prayer to prostrate, or by breaking off to meditate, &c. which conveniently they could not do in public. In conclusion this Case was resolved, That some Believers may profit more, or be more intent in public, ot

Chapter 593

10. The distemper of the soul (especially in desertion) when as in the

distemper of the body, a man thinking or speaking idly, we say it is not he, but his sickness; so it is in this case. In conclusion, these reasons were approved; but we agreed, That all the succeeding Answers or Resoluti

Chapter 594

30. A godly conversation, Psal. 16:8, 50:23, Acts 2:25.

SUB-SECT. 4. Whether is a Christian always bound to reprehend an offender? Or in what Cases may he forbear? It is answered, That a Christian is not bound ever to reprove, but he may forbear in such cases as these: —

Chapter 595

13. Let him exercise that heavenly duty of the life of Faith, and fasten it

on these promises, Psal. 37:6, 68:13, Isa. 61:7, 1 Pet. 1:7, 3:14, 4:14. SUB-SECT. 7. Whether a true Believer may not sometimes doubt? And what are the several causes of doubting? It was answered, That without controvers

Chapter 596

28. A consideration that unity in judgment is the promise and blessing of

another life, and that unity in affection is our present duty, Ephes. 4:13, Phil. 3:15,16. SECT. 8. Of some Questions or controverted Points, which at the Conference were propounded and answered. The Questions of controv

Chapter 597

1. It is answered affirmatively, that God doth see sin in his Saints, as

appears by these Texts, Exod. 4:14, 1 Sam. 3:12,13, 2 Sam. 12:9,10, Psal. 135:14, Jer. 16:17,18, Rev. 2:4,13,14, though not in reference to their justification, yet in reference to their conversation and sanctification,

Chapter 598

6. Because yet the Judge hath not solemnly pronounced the sentence of

pardon, neither will he till the last day, Acts 3:19. SUB-SECT. 4. Whether is it the duty of Christians to observe the Lord's-day (now being the first day of the week) as a Christian Sabbath? And what grounds for it?

Chapter 599

5. Because such things as are named the Lord's in Scripture, are ever of

the Lord's institution; as, The Word of the Lord, 1 Tim. 6:3, The Cup of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11:27, The Supper of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11:20, and so The Lord’s Day, Rev. 1:10.

Chapter 600

6. Because God doth seem to honor the first day of the week above any

other day, as appears by his great works done upon that day; viz. In the creation he made that day the first fruits of time; and in it he created the -- 544 of 1009 -- highest heavens, the place of the eternal Sabbath;

Chapter 601

3. Because David's Psalms were indicted by the Spirit of God, as well as

any others that confessedly may be sung, 2 Sam. 23:2. SUB-SECT. 6. Whether admitting of or joining with scandalous persons in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and not endeavoring to -- 545 of 1009 -- keep them back

Chapter 602

3. In that the profane are as Swine, which trample the pearls under their

feet, Mat. 7:6. See these Proofs enlarged in Gillespie. Aaron's Rod blossoming, l.3, ch. 15. SUB-SECT. 7. In such a case, what is the duty of admitters and joiners, to keep themselves blameless, and the Ordinance undefil

Chapter 603

4. If that prevail not, then (in some cases) to Excommunicate them by the

greater Excommunication, 1 Cor. 16:22, Gal. 1:8,9, 1 John 5:16, This is only when a man is visibly irrecoverable, or hath committed the sin against the holy Ghost; the case of Julian the Apostate, whom the Church would n

Chapter 604

2. The Scandal being public, it is the joiners duty immediately to bring it

to the Church, 1 Cor. 5:1, 2 Thess. 3:14. SUB-SECT. 8. In what cases is it lawful to enter into fellowship, association, confederacy and covenants with scandalous sinners? And in what cases is it not lawful?

Chapter 605

3. Nor may we enter into any other Religious covenants, of what kind

soever with Heretics, Blasphemers or Idolaters, Exod. 23:32, 34:12,13, Judges 2:2. -- 549 of 1009 -- ECT. 1. Of the necessity of preparation to the Hearing of the Word. Hitherto of Duties in reference to our Spiritual

Chapter 606

1. For preparation, it is of such necessity, that the want and neglect of it, is

the cause that the word to many becomes the savor of death unto death; and S CHAP. XII. – Of Hearing the Word. -- 550 of 1009 -- to some professors, even of good hearts and affections, but a dead letter, without any li

Chapter 607

1. In Prayer: If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for

understanding; — then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find out the knowledge of God. Christ bids us pray for our daily bread, and a blessing upon it; much more should we pray for a blessing upon our Spiri

Chapter 608

1. For the Minister, that God would open unto him a door of utterance, to

speak the mysteries of Christ; — and that he may make it manifest as he ought to speak. Direct him, Lord (should every soul say) that he may speak fitly to me, somewhat for my understanding, somewhat for my affections, s

Chapter 609

3. For ourselves, that through God's assistance we may hear profitably,

and be blessed in the hearing; that God would help us in our Preparation, Meditation, Examination, in the purging of our hearts, and putting them into a right disposition and frame: Open thou mine eyes (said David) that

Chapter 610

2. In Meditation: I thought on my ways (said David) and turned my feet

unto thy testimonies; he first looked over his own ways, before he would set his feet into God's ways.— Now the matter of our Meditation is, 1. Who we are, to hear God's Word: Alas, poor handfuls of dust and ashes, base

Chapter 611

3. In Examination, let us search and try our ways: — Commune with your

own hearts; — and then offer to God the sacrifice of righteousness. — Now the matter of Examination is, 1. The general frame and temper of our hearts, whether they be in a better or worse temper then formerly. 2. The spe

Chapter 612

4. In the purging or cleansing of our hearts, 1. From sin; Lay apart all

filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls: with which agrees that parallel place, Wherefore putting away all malice, as new born babes desir

Chapter 613

5. In a right disposition of our hearts: We must have hearts seasoned, 1.

With softness, for if the heart be not soft and flexible, the power of the Word will not make any print or deep impression upon it; all holy admonitions, reproofs and instructions will be but as arrows shot against a sto

Chapter 614

6. With openness, or readiness to receive every truth that God shall teach

us: It is said of the Bereans, That they received the Word with all readiness of mind: When there is such an holy disposition in us, as to receive both in judgment and practice whatsoever God shall reveal to us out of hi

Chapter 615

1. That we set ourselves in God's presence whiles we are hearing the

Word, and that we consider it is God we have to deal withal in this business, and not man, and that it is God's Word; and not man's: This was the great commendation of the Thessalonians, That they received the Word as th

Chapter 616

2. That we diligently attend to that we hear, thus all the people were very

attentive to hear Christ; or (as it is in the Original) They hanged upon him to hear him; they so carried themselves, as if their ears and minds had been tied to his very tongue: Look as a Prisoner will hearken to the se

Chapter 617

3. That we labor to understand what we hear; to this purpose, Christ called

to the multitude and said, Hear and understand: Now the means to understand the Word are these: 1. Come to the Word with a willing mind to learn; though the Eunuch understood not what he read, yet because he had a mind t

Chapter 618

4. That we hear the Word with all spiritual subjection, as that Word which

hath power to command the soul and conscience: God to this purpose looks into a Congregation, to see what hearts will yield to his Word; the Spirit of God hovers over the Congregation, and here it waits, and there it exp

Chapter 619

5. That we hear the Word, with application of it to our own hearts and

lives; Hear this, and know it for thyself: so did Christ's Disciples when our Savior told them, that one of them should betray him, They were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say, Lord, is it I? As no

Chapter 620

6. That in hearing, we look to our affections, that they be rightly

exercised: Thus Josiah his heart is said to melt at the reading of the Law: Thus the Jews at Peters Sermon were pricked in their hearts, and said, Men and brethren what shall we do? Thus the hearts of the two Disciples t

Chapter 621

7. That above all other affections, we make sure to delight in the Word; it

is said of Christ's hearers, that they heard him gladly, and it is noted for an especial sign of Grace to hear the Word with delight: I rejoiced at thy Word (said David) as one that findeth great spoils. [Quest. 1] But w

Chapter 622

2. Some unregenerate men may have some delight in the word: They seek

me daily (said God) and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the Ordinances of their God: they ask of me the Ordinances of Justice, they take delight in approaching to God. The sec

Chapter 623

1. When the Ordinances are a leading way unto some end that suits with

corrupt nature: Thus Jehu showed abundance of zeal in destroying the house of Ahab, and the Idolatry of Baal, that thereby he might establish the kingdom to his Posterity, and get himself a great name; Come with me, and

Chapter 624

2. When the manner of dispensation of the Ordinances doth suit with their

disposition: An understanding judicious man may love preaching that is judicious and understanding; A man of meekness, may delight in a Sermon of Peace, peace; a temperate man may like a Sermon that is tart and bitter ag

Chapter 625

3. When there is a common work of the Spirit of God upon them for a

time: They may taste of the heavenly gifts, and be made partakers of the holy Ghost; they may taste the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, and yet fall away; but this work is rather a work upon them,

Chapter 626

1. That we carefully remember, and keep that which we have heard: My

son, let thine heart retain my words, —keep them in the midst of thine heart. As a man that hath a Jewel will be careful to lock it up in his safest Chest, so should we keep the word in our hearts, in the midst of our he

Chapter 627

2. That we meditate, and seriously think of that we have heard: Meditate

upon these things (said Paul to Timothy) give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all: Thus Mary pondered the words of the Angel in her heart, and David meditated all the day on God's law: Meditation

Chapter 628

3. That we repeat what we have heard, and confer of it, and examine the

Scriptures about the truth of it: My tongue (saith David) shall speak of thy word, for all thy Commandments are righteousness: and, You shall lay up these my words in your hearts (saith God) and you shall teach them your

Chapter 629

4. That we put in practice whatsoever we hear: Be ye doers of the word,

and not hearers only, deceiving your own souls; we must do it, we must bring it nearer to us, that it may be an engrafted word in our understanding and affections, that it may be written in our souls, and in the tables o

Chapter 630

5. That (when the word is heard, and we are returned home) that we pray

again for a blessing on that we have heard, and as our memories will bear, let us turn the word into prayer, especially the heads or principal parts of it: Prayer must be the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending of

Chapter 631

1. For the subject matter, or the nature of this Self-Examination: Self-

Examination is a holy work of the soul, whereby it casts its eye, and reflects upon its self, and so looks through itself, and takes, a true scantling and estimate of its spiritual estate; for instance, I find such and s

Chapter 632

2. For the object of our Examination, it is generally—

-- 566 of 1009 -- Our sins. Our graces. Of which in order. SECT. 3. Of the manner of examining our sins before the Lord's Supper. For the right examining of our sins, observe we these rules: —

Chapter 633

1. Procure we a double catalogue of our sins, the one before, and the other

since our conversion: Let us search and try our ways (saith Jeremiah) and then turn again to the Lord: If we will not, we may be sure God will: Thou inquirest after mine iniquity (saith Job) and searchest after my sin.

Chapter 634

2. Confess we our sins: Bring we them out, as they brought the vessels of

the temple, by number and weight: Aaron confessing for the people, he was to confess all the iniquities of the Children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins. As three make All, so here's three All’s

Chapter 635

3. Labor we for grief and sorrow of heart for sin, otherwise all is to no

purpose: I will declare mine iniquity (saith David) I will be sorry for my sin: His confessions were dolorous confessions; he felt sin, and this wrought upon him, as a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me; there's not

Chapter 636

4. Judge we and condemn ourselves for our sin: This is that duty instanced

in by the Apostle, If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged: O Lord, I am not worthy (could the Centurion say) that thou shouldst come -- 567 of 1009 -- under my roof: But, O Lord, I am not worthy (should e

Chapter 637

1. Procure we a catalogue of Graces, such as that in Gal. 5:22,23. Love,

joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; or such as that in 2 Pet. 1:5-8. Add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patienc

Chapter 638

2. This Catalogue procured, set we the same before us, and consider

which of these graces we have, and which of these graces we want. I know it is a question, whether all graces are not so connex'd and chained together, that one of them cannot be severed from another? But howsoever we ma

Chapter 639

3. Pray we fervently for a supply of those wants in this Ordinance:

Imagine we saw Christ compassed with all his privileges, and promises, and pardons, and mercies, and merits; imagine we heard him say, Come hither poor souls, you that are sensible of your wants, and of your spiritual po

Chapter 640

4. Raise and rouse we up our souls, and go we to the Ordinances, with

strong expectations to receive the benefits and Graces we have prayed for; never any came to Christ to be healed, but they came with a strong expectation to receive health; if a leper came, he came with expectation of cl

Chapter 641

1. If he have turned from Satan in all sins, and turned unto God in all

duties; if he have left all gross sins, as Lying, Swearing, Usury, Drunkenness, Uncleanness, &c. in practice and action, and all frailties and infirmities, at least in allowance and affection, so that with watchful resis

Chapter 642

7. If he would not change his present station, though never so base, poor

and neglected in the world (yet accompanied with the state of Grace and Christianity) for the most rich and glorious estate of the greatest man upon earth, where there is nothing but profaneness and unregeneration; if al

Chapter 643

12. If to the power of his gifts at all occasions, he be still plotting,

working and laboring the conversion of others with zeal and sincerity, especially those that are nearest about him, any ways depend upon him, and belong to his charge. -- 573 of 1009 -- SECT. 6. Examination of Knowledg

Chapter 644

3. If it be edged and [irritated] with a longing desire and insatiable thirst

after more of those rich and saving treasures: There issues from out the sanctuary Waters of Life (see their increase) first to the ankles, then to the knees, then to the loins, afterwards a river that no man could pass:

Chapter 645

4. If it be diffusive and communicative of itself, if it shine round about,

and work all the good it can in all places: The lips of the righteous feed many: — The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, but the heart of the foolish doth not so: It is as new wine in vessels, desirous to vent; not to

Chapter 646

8. If it extinguish or greatly dull the savor of earthly things, and makes the

soul heavenly minded, savoring of spiritual things. SECT. 7. Examination of Faith. A second Grace which every worthy receiver must find in himself, is Faith; and by such marks as these, he may try whether his faith be a

Chapter 647

1. If it sprung in the heart by the public Ministry of God's holy word; if

the heart was broken, and bruised, and brought to an holy desperation, whereby it wholly renounced, disclaimed, and disavowed itself, as unworthy of life, of breath, or being: if then it began to lift up its eyes upon th

Chapter 648

2. If it grow, and daily spring up towards height of assurance, and fullness

of persuasion: Ordinarily faith is weak at first, full of many doubts and -- 575 of 1009 -- distractions, fears and trembling’s, but after long experience of our own sincerity, godly life, and good conscience, it grows

Chapter 649

3. If it purify the heart: Formalists may watch over their open outward

actions, but true believers set themselves with special care, and all good conscience, to bridle and bring under all wicked stirrings of the heart. The desire of the righteous is only good (i.e.) the main streams of his

Chapter 650

4. If it bring forth a true and through Evangelical Repentance: Where

God's comfortable favor shines, and is shed into the heart, it immediately melts and resolves into tears of sorrow and grief for former rebellions, and makes unfeigned and resolute vows, forever after, by God's grace, to

Chapter 651

5. If it beget in him whom it possesseth, a sanctification of all parts, both

in soul and body, though not in perfection; if the understanding be enlightened with knowledge in the great mysteries of godliness; if the will be bent with the best things; if the memory be a storehouse of heavenly trea

Chapter 652

6. If it work by love, first towards God and Christ, in that all his sins are

remitted, and he is eternally beloved of God in Christ: Secondly, towards -- 576 of 1009 -- Christians, in that the saving graces of God's Spirit shine in them: Thirdly, towards himself, with relation unto God, and res

Chapter 653

7. If it cause a forsaking the world: No man can do this (if it be his sweet

sin) until his soul have received by the hand of faith from the Spirit of God, an assurance of an immortal Crown in the heavens, sealed unto him by the blood of Christ: but then how willingly doth he bid the world farewe

Chapter 654

8. If it speak comfort in distress, joy in tribulation, glorying in afflictions:

Faith teacheth that God casts us in the fire, not to burn us, but to refine us, and make us more orient in his sight: This is the beaten path to heaven (cries faith) which all the glorious Saints have trodden before us.

Chapter 655

9. If it will maintain a Christian in some measure of sufficiency and

contentment in all estates: The just shall live by faith, not by friends, money, earthly hopes, or helps, &c. if it makes a man lay hold on God's promises, and work an inward trust in God's never-failing providence, so a

Chapter 656

1. If it be ashamed of sin: not as a Thief is ashamed, which shame ariseth

from the effect of sin, as punishment or disgrace, but as a Son is ashamed -- 577 of 1009 -- (whence it is called a filial shame) out of a sight of the filth and loathsomeness of sin; the impenitent glory in their sham

Chapter 657

2. If it mourn for sin: Thus David mourned (not for the punishment, he is

willing to bear it, but) for sin, as it was sin. I deny not but sorrow may be godly, even for Judgments, and then our trial will be, if we can mourn rather for Spiritual Judgments, then for Temporal; and especially if we

Chapter 658

3. If it cause a great mourning, at least so great as our mourning would be

for outward losses: Thus Zacharias instanceth, the Spirit of God should cause them to mourn, as in the family one would mourn for the loss of their only Son, or as in the Commonweal the Subjects would mourn for the loss

Chapter 659

4. If it rest not without cleanness: True Repentance is not water, but

washing, nor every washing, but such as maketh clean; could a man weep his eyes out, yet if he weep not his sins out, what is he better? Sorrowing after a godly sort, what carefulness, what cheering hath it wrought? If I

Chapter 660

5. If it bring forth fruits meet for Repentance: This was the sum, as of

Johns, so of Paul's preaching, that Jew and Gentile should repent, and turn to God, and do works worthy amendment of life: nay, it is the very sum of the Gospel, To mourn, to be comforted, that they might be called Trees

Chapter 661

6. If it be stirred up by the sense of God's goodness: So that nothing more

fires a man to abase himself in the sense of his own vileness, then to feel -- 578 of 1009 -- and find the gracious goodness and readiness of God in Christ, to show him mercy; He feareth the Lord and his goodness.

Chapter 662

7. If the same Spiritual means asswage it, that first raised it in the heart:

Repentance that can be healed by sports, merry company, &c. was never sound; It is the voice of the Church, Come, and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us, he hath smitten, and he will bind

Chapter 663

8. If it be joined with a secret trust in the acceptation of God in Christ: If

no misery can beat thy soul from inward affiance, or hope of mercy; if in the very disquietness of the heart, the desire of the soul be to the Lord; if he be never so much cast down, yet he waits upon God for the help of

Chapter 664

1. If it be to the Saints as Saints; not because they are rich, learned, wise,

but merely because they have God's image upon them: Love one another with a pure heart, love must be pure, not mixed, and then it is pure, when it springs from no other fountain but grace, and holiness, and love of God i

Chapter 665

3. If it be to all the Saints: if it love grace in rags, as well as in Robes; if it

love the absent, as well as present; if it love for the truths sake those he never saw, yet this hinders not the difference of degrees of love, which by the special providence of God some Christians may have to others, i

Chapter 666

5. An apology for them, against the reproaches and scorns of the world.

SECT. 10. Examination of Obedience. A fifth grace which every worthy Receiver must find in himself, is Obedience: and by such marks as these he may try whether his Obedience be true: -- 580 of 1009 --

Chapter 667

4. If it obey the Commandments of faith, as well as life, submitting to the

Lord by believing, as by doing, yielding to the Gospel as to the law. SECT. 11. Examination of our desires after this Ordinance. A sixth grace which every worthy receiver must find in himself, is Holy desires after this

Chapter 668

5. If there follow a great and sweet contentment in the use of the

Ordinances; if (as it was with Samson drinking of the water that God sent him out of the hollow of the jaw) our spirits come again and revive upon it; -- 581 of 1009 -- so that sometimes the heart is filled with strang

Chapter 669

6. If there follow after the Ordinance holy vows and wishes of infinite and

eternal thankfulness; as also a growth and springing up as among the grass, or as willows by the water courses. SECT. 12. Examination of the growth of Graces. The truth of Graces thus found out; In the last place, examin

Chapter 670

3. By his spiritual strength; a Christian is at first weak, but if he grow, he

is stronger and stronger, till at last he can wrestle with a spiritual enemy, with lusts and corruptions, Powers and Principalities, and get the mastery over them. To this duty of Examination, others add Excitation, as t

Chapter 671

1. Here is a discovery of the love and sweetness of God, in giving his Son

to die for us: So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, &c. enough to cause us to mourn that ever we offended: O that God should be more tender to us, then to his Son, not sparing his Son, that he migh

Chapter 672

1. In themselves: What breakings, woundings, scourges, crownings,

piercings, did he endure in his body? What conflicts, struggling’s with the wrath of God, terrors of hell? What weight, burden, wrath, did he undergo, when his soul was heavy unto death, when he drank that bitter cup, th

Chapter 673

2. In the meriting cause of all our good, the procurers of all our peace,

salvation: He was wounded, that we might be healed; scourged, that we might be solaced; He was slain, but not for himself: —He was wounded for -- 583 of 1009 -- our transgressions, broken for our iniquities, the chasti

Chapter 674

3. As the effects of our sin, as those things our sins brought upon him, and

needs must this melt and thaw our icy stony hearts: It was I (should the soul say) who was the Traitor, Murderer, Judas, Herod, Pilate; they were my sins which were the bloody instruments, to slay the Lord of glory: Lord

Chapter 675

1. Of his body broken and wounded: He was wounded for our

transgressions, —And with his stripes we are healed: What sweet comfort may faith fetch hence? Look now upon the wounds of Christ, as healing wounds, as a City of refuge, whither thy pursued soul by the avenger of blood,

Chapter 676

2. Of the blood poured and shed; and what is to be done now when I see

this blood in the Sacrament, but to actuate my faith, and apply this blood to myself? Christ's blood is a reconciling blood, Rom. 3:25. A justifying blood, Rom. 5:9. A pacifying blood, Coloss. 1:20. A pardoning blood, Ep

Chapter 677

2. For Sacramental offers, in the words, [Take, eat, drink,] Christ himself

is offered with all his benefits: Here then must faith actuate itself, and set itself on work, striving with all its might to take Christ, to eat and drink Christ offered: When Christ is offered to us, the act of faith t

Chapter 678

3. For sacramental promises; This is my body which is given for you; this

is my blood which is shed for you, for remission of sins: Here’s a precious promise of Christ’s body and blood, which may abundantly set faith on work: for understanding whereof, I shall propound some questions; as Quest

Chapter 679

4. His benefits both of grace and glory.

All these are included in the body of Christ, and in the blood of Christ; viz. The whole person of Christ, God and man, with his merits, and virtue, and benefits, into which we are incorporated, and made consorts, and jo

Chapter 680

1. Because we could not be partakers of his divine nature, but by means of

his manhood: for the flesh of Christ is the conduit that conveys the graces of the Godhead, and the graces of the Spirit of Christ into our souls; they are given by the Spirit to Christ’s manhood, without measure, that s

Chapter 681

2. Because Christ performed those parts of the work of man’s redemption

in his body, or human nature, which were not compatible to the Deity, or divine nature; and therefore mention is made more especially of Christ’s body, which is symbolically in the sacrament, and really the soul.

Chapter 682

2. And this begets another question; How should the body or blood of

Christ, thus understood, be in the soul of a man? We answer, In the soul there is a double nature: 1. A human nature, as it is natural, defiled with sin. 2. A Christian inward nature, animated by the Spirit of Christ whi

Chapter 683

1. Faith looks upon Christ as the treasury and common stock of grace, in

whom dwells all fullness, all our fullness: faith looks on him as the universal principle of life, and the root of holiness: God gave not him the Spirit in measure, no, It pleased the Father that in him all fullness shou

Chapter 684

2. Faith casts its eye on the promise, for the conveyance of Christ, and of

Grace from Christ: Faith works by virtue of the promise; where there is no promise, there can be no faith, and therefore faith discovers the promise, That of his fullness we shall receive grace for grace; That his body i

Chapter 685

3. Faith looks upon this Ordinance, as an instrument, a means which God

hath set up for the conveying of Christ, and nourishment from Christ: in Zacharias we find mention of two olive branches, which through two golden pipes, emptied the golden oil out of themselves: We may thus interpret, C

Chapter 686

4. Faith being steeled by such considerations as these, it goes over to

Christ, and by virtue of the promise, draws down his body and blood into the soul; this therefore is the main work, to awaken, and to actuate our faith, to set it on work upon Christ, and so to draw forth the efficacy of

Chapter 687

1. By our private ejaculations: Our souls should praise him, and all that is

within us should praise his holy name; especially our affections of joy and love should taste largely of God. We should to this purpose now and then cast up such a dart as this to heaven, We praise thee, O God, we acknow

Chapter 688

3. By our singing of Psalms: Thus Christ and his Apostles, after the

celebration of the Lord's Supper, they sung an hymn or psalm; and some say, it was one of David's Psalms, which was to present purpose (the Jews at their Passover used these Psalms, Psalm 113 to 119, which they called th

Chapter 689

4. By our obedience, by devoting, and giving up ourselves to Christ, to be

at the will of him, who is our sovereign Lord. The proof and life of Thanksgiving, is Thanks-doing; the life of thankfulness, is the good life of the thankful: Do we praise God for his excellency? That strictly is the ob

Chapter 690

3. In respect of the Saints, by delighting in them, as the most excellent of

the earth, the only true worthies of the world, worthy forever of the flower, and fervency, and dearness of our most melting affections and intimate love, by sympathizing with them in their felicities and miseries, Rejoi

Chapter 691

1. A man is seriously and faithfully to consider, after he hath been at the

Lord's Supper, what entertainment and welcome God hath given him? What -- 594 of 1009 -- comfort? What increasing of Faith and Grace? What quickening? What refreshment? What assurance? What friendship, and what communi

Chapter 692

1. Let such a one suspect himself, that some miscarriage hath been in him,

either in his preparation to, or in his performance of the Duty; and let him labor to find out where the fail was; what it was that hindered the efficacy of that Blessed Sacrament: and having found out what hindered, let

Chapter 693

2. Let him endeavor by after-pains in prayer and humiliation, to quicken

and awaken the efficacy of the Sacrament: Sacraments do not always work for the present, but the efficacy may come afterwards; the actions of God are of eternal efficacy, though he put forth that efficacy in such times a

Chapter 694

1. Thankfulness: Return home now, as with thy heart full of benefits of

the Lord, so with thy heart full of praises to the Lord: Angels employments are most suitable to Angels food; Shall we bless God for a crumb, and not for a Christ? Other mercies are but crumbs, in comparison of this rich

Chapter 695

2. Get we our hearts further strengthened to service: In this Ordinance is a

mutual sealing of Covenants between God and us; he seals to the first part of the Covenant, Pardon, Mercy, Grace, and we must seal to the second part of it, Service, Subjection, Obedience. God gives Christ to us, and we

Chapter 696

3. We must avoid surfeiting and drunkenness, which makes the heart dull

and heavy: Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this world; with ordinary prayer we must join a moderate diet, and with extraordinary, fas

Chapter 697

5. We must draw off from prayer, from resting in it, or trusting upon it; a

man may pray much, and instead of drawing nigh to God, or enjoying sweet communion with Christ, he may draw nigh to prayer, his thoughts may be more upon his prayer, then upon God to whom he prays; and he may live more u

Chapter 698

1. Prayer; a little eating prepareth a weak stomach, and setteth an edge

upon the appetite to eat more: To this purpose David prayed before prayer, Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice: Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth,

Chapter 699

2. Meditation, 1. On our own unworthiness, that so we may pray in

humility: I am less than the least of all thy mercies, said Jacob: O my God, I am ashamed and confounded to lift up mine eyes, said Ezra. 2. On the glorious majesty of God our Father: He that speaks to God, must remember

Chapter 700

2. Praying with wandering thoughts, arising partly from the flesh, and

partly from the suggestions of Satan: The speech of the mouth must not go before, but always follow after the conceit of the mind: Many times as a Musicians fingers will run over a song which he hath been used to play, a

Chapter 701

2. By the help of the Spirit: It is the Spirit that helps our infirmities (saith

Paul) for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered; q.d. when we put forth the graces of the Spirit in us, then the Spirit

Chapter 702

1. In regard of Admission: God is a consuming fire, and we are dried

stubble; there is no approaching to him, but in Christ, in whom we have access with boldness to the Throne of Grace: God will not look pleasingly on us, if we come without Christ, he is no Throne of Grace without him; it

Chapter 703

2. In regard of Assistance: We pray, but we have no strength to do it

without Christ; we might as well be set to move Mountains, as to pray without the strength of Christ: Without me (saith Christ) you can do nothing; without union with Christ, without communion with Christ, we can do noth

Chapter 704

3. In regard of Acceptance: Our works, they are not only impotent, but

impure too, as they come from us: It is Christ that must put validity to them, it is Christ that must put his own odors to them, it is Christ that must put both Spirit and Merit to them, his grace to work, and his blood

Chapter 705

2. To pray in Christ's name, is to pray from his command, and according

to his will; as when we send another in our name, we wish him to say thus, Tell him, I sent you, and that I desire such a thing of him; so when we take -- 604 of 1009 -- those words which the Lord puts in our mouths, a

Chapter 706

3. To pray in Christ's name, is to pray for his ends, for the sake and use of

Christ: Thus the phrase is used, To receive a prophet in the name of a prophet (i.e.) for this end and reason, because he is a prophet. Now let Christians observe, when they would have anything of God, to what use and en

Chapter 707

1. We must know and acknowledge Jesus Christ whom he hath sent:

Christ told the Samaritans, Ye worship ye know not what; far be it from Christians thus to do: Without this knowledge we shall wander into Will- -- 605 of 1009 -- worship, and superstitious inventions; And therefore kn

Chapter 708

2. We must know and understand what we pray, otherwise we are subject

to our Saviors reproof, You ask you know not what: two sorts of men are here condemned 1. Those that pray in an unknown tongue. 2. Those who pray in a known tongue, but understand not what they pray.

Chapter 709

2. Faith more special, is such a faith as apprehends the precious promises

made to our prayers, whereby we are persuaded that our particular requests shall be granted unto us, only with this distinction,—in matters spiritual, necessary to salvation, we are to ask absolutely, as being persuaded

Chapter 710

1. Humility, which is derived ab humo, from the ground; intimating, that

when we pray, we should humble ourselves, as it were to the ground: Thus the Christians in the eastern Churches were wont to cast themselves down to the ground, when they called upon God: Thus Abraham acknowledged himsel

Chapter 711

2. Reverence of the majesty of God: Serve the Lord with reverence, and

rejoice with trembling: The blessed Angels being in God's presence, and sounding forth his praise, are described as having six wings, whereof two pair serve to cover their faces and their feet, hereby betokening their wo

Chapter 712

3. Ardency, or fervency of spirit; this gives wings to our prayers, and

causeth them to ascend before God; this sets on work all the graces of God's Spirit, and the more fervent the prayer is, the more they are intended, actuated, increased: I mean not thus of every fervency; there is a ferv

Chapter 713

1. The inarticulate, is that which is uttered in sighing, groaning and

weeping: Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee, saith David; and Hezekiah professeth, That he did chatter like a crane or a swallow, and did mourn like a dove; And the Spirit himself ma

Chapter 714

1. For Quantity, we must not affect prolixity, as if for multitude of words

we looked to be heard: When ye pray, use not vain repetition, as the heathen do: The Heathen thought, that their gods did not always hear, as being otherwise employed (so Elias told Baals Priests) and therefore they used

Chapter 715

2. For Quality, we need not be curious in respect of the style, God looking

to the heart, rather than the speech: As it is not the loudness of a Preachers voice, but the weight and holiness of the matter, and spirit of the Preacher, that moves a wise and intelligent hearer; so not gifts, but gra

Chapter 716

3. For the Form: We are not tied to any set form, nor are we so tied to

conceived prayer, as that it must be without all study or meditation, either against the instant, or in former times: A man may conceive a prayer ex tempore, and yet without Enthusiasms, or extraordinary revelations; viz

Chapter 717

1. Quietly to rest in the good will and pleasure of God, not doubting but

the Lord hath heard our Prayers, and in good time shall grant that which shall be most for his glory and our good; and this is the meaning of the word Amen, wherewith we seal up our prayers.

Chapter 718

2. Diligently to use all good means for the obtaining of our suits; as if I

pray for faith, or any other spiritual Grace, I must besides prayer, use all good means carefully, which the Lord hath ordained for the begetting and increasing of those graces in us, as hearing the Word preached, receiv

Chapter 719

3. Carefully to look after our prayers, and to cast up our comings in, and

gaining’s by prayers, otherwise we are like foolish Venturers, who have a great stock a going, but look not after their returns: [In the morning I will direct my prayers, and look up:] There are two military words in the

Chapter 720

6. Suppose I am assured upon former observations, that God hath heard

and answered my prayers in their particulars, what must I do then? SECT. 6. The first Case: Suppose I have prayed, how may I assuredly know that God hears, and will answer in his own time? We may resolve this case, by so

Chapter 721

1. Before prayer: When God prepares the heart to pray, when he pours

upon a man a Spirit of Grace and Supplication, a praying disposition; when he puts in motives, suggests arguments and pleas unto God, as materials for prayer; all which you shall find to come in readily, and of themselve

Chapter 722

2. In prayer: As 1. when God draws nigh, and reveals himself to thy soul,

in and upon such or such a particular petition, when God smiles upon thee, welcomes thee, falls about thy neck and kisseth thee; when no sooner thou comes into his presence to inquire of him, but he says, Here I am, as t

Chapter 723

1. When God quiets and calms the heart after prayer, by speaking

something to the heart, though what is spoken be not always discerned; as when you see an earnest or importunate suitor going in to a great man, exceeding anxious, but coming out very cheerful, contented, and quiet in sp