Defensative armour, against four of Sathan's most fiery darts viz. temptations to atheistical and blasphemous impressions and thoughts, self-murther, despair, and presumption : wherein is discoursed the nature of these temptations, the several tempters to these sins, the arguments ordinarily used by the tempters in the inforcing of them, and some proper advice is offered to those who are exercised with them / by J.C. D.D. ...

Defensative Armour , Against Four of SATHAN'S MOST Fiery Darts : VIZ. TEMPTATIONS TO Atheistical and Blasphemous Impressions and Thoughts , Self-Murther , Despair , and Presumption .

WHEREIN Is Discoursed the Nature of these Temptations , the several Tempters to these Sins , the Arguments ordinarily used by the Tempters in the inforcing of them ; and some proper Advice is offered to those who are exercised with them .

By J. C. D. D.

Maxima pars fallitur quod non credunt has cogitationes esse tentationes Sathanae : Illae ipsae sunt tela ista iguita nequissimarum nequitiarum spiritualium in coelestibus . Luther .

LONDON , Printed for Benjamin Alsop , at the Angel and Bible over against the Stocks-market , and Ewderd Giles Bookseller in Norwich , 1680.

TO THE Christian Reader . Reader ,

IT is my Experience ( after more than thirty years service of God in the work of the Ministry ) that hath brought forth these meditations to thy view , in which time , I have been sent for to , and conversed with many , who have laboured under the three first of these horrid temptations , as to which this Discourse offers something of Instruction and Counsel , upon some of which they have had as sad issues as can well be imaginable ; and to all ( the first of them at least ) hath been the most intollerable burthen and affliction , that a reasonable Soul is capable of bearing . This hath put me upon frequent studies , what to say or do for their relief . Who would not do his utmost , to lend an helping hand to a soul , crying out , That it feeleth an Hell upon Earth ! to help a poor creature , whose sleep departeth from him in the night , and in the day time he can find no place to rest , but is uneasie in his or her greatest circumstances of ease ; whom he seeth trembling , that he is not able to speak and continue a sentence to him to its period . This I have seen , and mine Ears have heard . I have known some lying under one or other of these Temptations , months and years , and for a great part of the time under such a burthen , that they have passionately said , They would heartily forgive any that would take away their lives , and ( which is most tremendous ) for want of such an executioner , I have known some do it with their own hands . Under the greatest circumstance : for content imaginably , blessed with a competent estate , acceptable relations , and wanting nothing but a quiet mind . O that it might be a warning to the Athiests and Blasphemers of this Generation . They know not how soon those Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts and Expressions , with which their hearts are filled , and which they make now the Ornaments of their Speech , may reflect to this degree upon them . I have observed in these distresses , persons nearly concerned in such as have been thus afflicted , at loss for some Discourse , purposely wrote upon these Arguments , which if they could not perswade their friends in these paroxismes to read , yet they might read to them , or at least from which they might be furnished with matter of proper discourse or counsel to them . This hath made me spend some few hours upon this Argument , which tho it be not the general concern of Christians ( they being through the Goodness of God , but few of many , that are incumbred with the three first of the Temptations here spoken to ) yet in another sense are the general concern of all ; none of us knowing which of us may not fall into these Temptations common to men : nor what friend or neighbour of ours may next stand in need of our help ; and the most being at too great a loss , how properly to apply themselves to Christians under these circumstances . Indeed the last Temptation is of more general concern ; we are all apt enough to receive temptations to Presumption . These considerations , together with my observation , that in these late years in which Atheism and Blasphemy have been so rampant , and profanely triumphing almost at the end of every loose and ungoverned Tongue ; these Temptations have also been more frequent , hath made me willing to let these Meditations pass into a publick view , that they may be of more than a private use . I shall think my self abundantly rewarded for my pains , if but one Soul may be fore-warned or relieved by them , or any thing be said in these sheets , which any private Christians may make use of for a word in season , to any one Soul thus wearied . I weigh not the scoffs of those who mock at these things ; experience lets all that mind Religion know these Temptations are no Chimaera's , and those who judge them meer Melancholick Delirations and the Effects of them , know not what they say , but must say something , tho it be to discover their ignorance of the ways of Divine Providence , and no acquaintance with the Methods of Sathan . Such as these Meditations are , they are not intended for such as are scoffers at wounded and troubled spirits ; but for a relief for those who feel such wounds , and in whose hearts the infernal Plow-man hath made such deep furrows : and for those who know no Temptation of this nature hath befallen others , but such as are common to men , and wherewith they also may be Tempted . Having told thee my design ( good Reader ! ) I commend thee to God and these Sheets , and thee , to the Blessing of his Grace

Thy faithful Servant in the Gospel of our Lord , J. C.

AN Alphabetical Table , OF THE Principal Matters contained in this BOOK . A Asolution by Priests , as held by Papists , a great means of Presumption . The differing Notions of Papists and Protestants about it ; a p. 297 , ad p. 304. What power Ministers have to pardon sin , Ibid. Acquaintance with the Covenant of Grace , how useful against Despair , p. 191 , 192. Right Apprehensions of the Divine Being , how to be obtained , 41 , 42. Not to be gained from Sense or Reason , working on Natural Principles , but from Scripture Revelations , 44 , 45. Advantages from them , 46. Great means to prevent Temptations to Atheistical Thoughts , 41 Arguments used by the Devil to perswade the Entertainment of Blasphemous Thoughts , p. 14. No Arguments conclusive for Despair , 206 , 207. Assent not the justifying Act of Faith , 284 , 285 Attending on Ordinances useful against Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts , 48 Atheism what , how committed , the variety of Atheistical Thoughts , distinctions of them , p. 4 , 5. What kind of Atheistical Thoughts are here spoken to , and whence they proceed , p. 6 Whether the Souls guilt or no , the Negative proved , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 37 , 38. What may be done to prevent , or to repent them ; and to support the Soul under the burden of them , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , to p. 55. They are not to be entertained for a moment , 49. Atheistical Persons or Books , to be avoided , p. 49 , &c. B. BAptism , the supposed efficacy of it , various Opinions , 262 It is no ground alone to presume Salvation on , proved 271 , 272 , 273. It s true efficacy 275 Blasphemy what it is , committed 3 ways p. 4. C. CAuses of violent Atheistical Thoughts , hard to assign 53 Company of Holy Persons , how useful to those who are tempted by Atheistical Thoughts , 50 Communion with God , much and close , a great means against Despair and Temptations to it , 197 Contentment a great preservative against Temptations to Self-murther , p. 115 , 116 The Covenant of Grace to be studied , and meditated on , by Persons tempted to Self-murther , and to Despair , 144 , 145 , 191. How to be meditated on , 147 , 148 Gods Creation of us no ground to conclude , that he will eternally save us , 264 , 265 , why , Ibid. Confession of Sin , the Popish Doctrine about the manner and vertue , and efficacy of it , and the vanity of it , 301 , 302. The Doctrine of Protestants about it , 305 , 306. D DEspair , what it is , 165. How distinguished from Fear , 166. The usual Tempters to it 167 ; What to be advised to Souls under Temptations to Despair , 200 , 201 , 202 , 203 , &c. The greatness of the Sin of Despair , 230 , 231 , 232 , 233 234 , &c. The Devil , the principal Tempter to Atheistical Thoughts , 9 Diversion Advisable for persons Tempted by Atheistical Thoughts or to Self-Murther , 50 , 51 , 104 , 105. Discontent to be avoided , as making way for Temptations to Self Murther , 115 , Difficulty of being Saved , to be Meditated on for prevention of Temptations to Presumption 321. Some Doctrines of Truth charged as having a tendancy to bring a Soul under Temptations to Despair , proved to have no such tendancy , particularly . Those of Election of Persons , particular Redemption and special Grace , 174 , 175 , 176. E Election of Persons , no advantage to Temptations to Self Murther or Despair , 91 , 92. Eternal Life , how many ways one may be said not to have it , 61 , 62. Whether any who hath it in the Seed can Murther him or her self ? Whether any who Murther themselves can be Saved ? 67 , 68 , 69. Examination of our selves , how useful against Despair , in what things , 194 , 195. F Faith the several Notions of it , the True Notion of Saving Faith , 281 , 282 , 283. The increase of it of great use against Temptations , in what particulars , 121 , 122 , 123. G Seeming Good alluring the Soul in Temptations to Atheistical Thoughts , none ; p. 11 , 12. What of that Nature is a Bait to Temptations of Self-Murther , 88 , 89 , 90. To Despair , 169. Grace where it dwelleth in the Soul , whether it can allow any to Murther themselves , 68 , 69. Guilt of Sin the only bottom of Despair , 172 , 173. H Holiness , False Notions of it , grounds of Presumption , the true Notion of it , 287 , 288 , 289 , 290 , 291 , 292. The best Preservative against Temptations to Self Murther , 130 , 131. K Killing a Mans Self , whether in any case lawful ? The Negative proved , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66. All Self Killing , not Self Murther , Ibid. Persons Killing themselves not to be rashly judged , 75 , 76. What to be judged of Persons Killing themselves , being under the high prevailings of Melancholly , 71 , 72. Knowledge the usefulness of it , to prevent Despair , 180 , 181. L Life Natural , in some Cases , may not to a Natural Man appear the greatest Good , 90 , 91 , 92. Lusts , What Lusts , the greatest Tempters to Self-Murther 83 , 84 Luther's Advice to Souls Tempted by Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts , 38. M Means to be used to prevent or repel Temptations to Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts , 37 , 38 , to 55. To Self Murther , 96 , 97 , to 193. To Despair , 178 , 179 , to 240. To Presumption , 263 , 264 , to the end . Melancholly to be taken beed of for prevention of Temptations to Self Murther , and Despair , 98 , 99. What means to be used , Natural , Civil , Religious ; 100 , 101. Whether all Melanchollick Persons Killing themselves , are to be judged Murtherers of themselves ? Murther , how far it extends according to the Divine Law , 57. Who not Guilty of it , 60. In what Sense no Murtherer hath Eternal Life , 61 , 62. Self Murther , Temptations to it , from what Causes ; 79 , 80 , 81. Motives in Temptations to it , to be enquired into , what they usually are , the Vanity of them , 134 , 135. N Notions laying Foundations for Presumption , 259 , 260 , 261. Narrow Notions of the Sense of the Divine Law dangerous as to Presumption , 295 , 296 , 297. P Pictures of God or any Person in the Trinity , promove in us Atheistical Thoughts , 41 , 42. The Vanity of them , 42 , 43. Parlying with Tempters dangerous 15. 8. Prayer and Fasting proper for Persons tempted to Atheistical and Blasphemons Thoughts , 51. Power in Man truly to believe and repent , none ; if there were , it is no ground for Presumption ; 278 , 279. Presumption what it is , 249. The Tempters to it the Devil , our Lusts , the World , 251 , 252 , 253 , 254 , 255 , 256. The Bait to it , 257 , 258. How to be avoided , 263 , 264 , 265. It makes way for Despair , 193. The greatness of the Sin , the danger of it , the multitudes that miscarry by it , 312 , 313 , 314. Pride to be mortified , 109. Several Considerations tendant to that end , 109 , 110. Purgatory , the Popish Notion of it , its tendancy to Presumption , 310 , 311. R Revealing Temptations , how advisable to whom and why ; 157 , 158. Repentance , The true Notion of it : The False Notion of it , how dangerous in order to Presumption , 287 , 288 , 289. S Satisfaction as a part of Repentance , in what Cases necessary ; the Popish Notions of it , 304 , 305 , 306. Sacrament of the Lord's Supper , its vertue as to Remission of Sins , 308. The Popish Notion of it , ibid. Not desired , by understanding Christians , where it cannot be had in a communion , 308 , 309 , Sins against Light , Inveterate Sinning , Flagitious and Prodigious Acts of Sin , Sins bordering on the Sins against the Holy Ghost , great advantages to Temptations to Despair , 181 , 182 , 183 , 184. What those Sinnings are , Ibid. Sin against the Holy Ghost , what it is , shortly discoursed , in order to the relief of such as are under Temptations to think they have sinned it ; 184 , 185 , 186 , 187 , 188 , 189. Sins multitude and greatness , no grounds for Despair , 209 , 210 , 211 , 212 , 213 , 214 , 215 , 216. Solitude to be avoided by Tempted Souls , 103. Temptations distinguished , p. 8. Tempters to Atheistical Thoughts , Who ? 9. To Self Murther . Temptations to it discoursed , as to their efficient cause , the seeming good inticing the probable means to prevent , or repel them , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81. Temptations to Despair Answered , 217 , 218 , 219 220 , 221 , 222 , 223 , 224 , 225 , 226 , 227. To Presumption , 250 , The Tempters to it , 251 , 252 , 253. How to be prevented , or avoided , 263 , 264 , 265 , &c.

Courteous Reader ,

THe Author living at a great distance from the Press , begs of thee pardon for lesser Errors , in misplacing Stops or Letters ; and with thy Pen to correct the following

ERRATA'S :

IN page 6. line 28 , read think so ; p. 15 , l. 29 , r. is it ; p. 22 l. 7 , 1. scarce any ; p. 25 l. 7 , blot out [ not ; ] , p. 35 , l. 2 , blot out [ it ; ] p. 64 , l. 17 , r. Filiucius ; p. 66 , l. 2 , 1. washed away ; p. 79 l. 3 , r. causes ; p. 9● , l. 12 , r. hath brought ; p. 96 l. 4 , r. and Praeterition ; p. 97 , l. 27 , blot out [ that ] p. 101 , l. 28 , for about ; r. of ; p. 113 , l. 22 , r. of all ; p. 150 , l. 27 , r. of Conscience ; p. 171 , l. 2 , r. the Grave and Hell ; p. 176 , l. 6 , r. who cannot understand ; p. 177 , l. 24 , r. therefore plain that ; p. 188 , l. 7 , r. the Soul ; p. 210 , l. 5 , r. so me thinks ; p. 228 , l. 23 r. such Souls ; p. 234 , l. 19 , ● . our sins ; p. 241 , l. 14 , r. violate them ; p. 261 , l. 11 , r. as to ; p 306 , l. 26 , r. in his heart .

Concerning TEMPTATIONS TO Atheistical and Blasphemous THOUGHTS .

CHAP. I.

The true Notion of Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts . Blasphemy committed three ways . Atheistical Thoughts Transient and Volatile , or more Fixed and Permanent . Those more Fixed , either studied by us , embraced , and improved , or else such as are the Souls Burthen , Trouble and great Affliction . The Discourse restrained to the last .

DAvid telleth us , The Fool hath said in his heart , There 's no God ; Psal. 14. v. 1. By the Fool is to be understood not the Natural Fool ( hindered in the exercise of his Reason ) but the Spiritual Fool , the Wicked Man ; nor is there any , to whom the Notion of a Fool more properly agreeth , than to the Presumptuous bold Sinner , whether you by Fool understand one that wanteth knowledge and wit , or him that wanteth wisdom to guide his knowledge in exercise to the best ends of Humane Life : to discern , chuse , and judge of things according to truth and reality , and for the best advantage . This Fool ( saith the Psalmist ) saith in his heart , that is , he thinks and believeth there is no God ; whatsoever he professeth with his lipps , these are his inward thoughts . The Philosopher distinguisheth betwixt our inward and more external Speech , we speak nothing with our lipps , but what we have first said in our hearts : though we say much in our hearts , which Shame , or Moral Prudence , restraineth us from speaking with our lipps : Every wicked man doth not speak it with his lipps , but he saith in his heart , he thinketh there is no God , and he speaketh it in his life ; his actions speak it , he lives without a God in the World . Now this being the Character of a wicked man , one that is a spiritual Fool , the impressions of them upon honest souls , often proves a sad temptation to them ; ushering in temptations to Self-murther and Despair . This hath made me resolve shortly to handle this Argument , that I may by it give some relief to Souls thus tormented ; and likewise help others with something to say to Souls under these miserable circumstances . I shall reduce the whole of my Discourse to these few Heads ;

1. I shall shew you what I understand by Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts , and discourse shortly of the kinds and differences of them .

2. We will inquire , what Tempters a Soul may have to them .

3. What Bait , or seeming good , the Tempter can imaginably propound to the Soul to intice it to them .

4. What Arguments Tempters may use with any colourable reason , to bring over a Soul to such a perswasion .

5. We will inquire , Whether all such kind of Thoughts be the Souls guilt , or no , or what are , what are not .

6. Lastly , I shall offer my best advice both for Souls not as yet under these circumstances , for the Prevention of them ; and for Souls under this great pressure , for the Arming and Supporting of them against and under them , and procuring them Liberty from them .

1. Qu. What are those thoughts that deserve the name of Atheistical and Blasphemous ? The term Atheisme is taken sometimes more strictly for a denyal of God : sometimes more largely for a denyal of any of the Perfections of God . In the first Sense , for a man to think , That there is no God , or that the Father , the Son , or the Holy Ghost , is not God , is Atheisme ; when it is onely a denial in the Heart , it is an Atheistical Thought , when we deny it with our Lipps they are Athestical words : more largely for a man to deny Gods Wisdom , Power , Knowledg , Mercy , or any other of his Perfections , is Atheism . Blasphemy is committed three ways . 1. By denial of the Perfections that are in God . If any shall deny God to be one in Essence , or the three Persons in the God-head , or that God is a Spirit Omnipotent , Omnisufficient , &c. is Blasphemy : It is an evil and injurious speaking of God . 2. When the Divine Perfections are attributed to the Creature , such I mean as belong to God onely , as to think any Creature Infinite , Omnipotent , Eternal , Omnisufficient , &c. 3. When the Imporfections of Creatures are ascribed to God ; as if any thinketh in his heart , That God is mortal , that he is the Author or Countenancer of Sin , or any thing of like nature which agrees to the Creature , onely in regard of the imperfection of it . Thus you see there may be a great variety of Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts , according to the variety of the Object , which may be the Being of God , or the Perfections of God , &c.

Again , Such kind of Thoughts when they are fixed and permanent , are either studied up by us , bugg'd , and imbraced , and inlarged upon , so as the Soul studies to feed them and maintain them ; which are hardly found in any but Atheistical Souls , that find it their interest to secure their lusts , by such principles : Or else they are the Souls trouble and burthen , and great Afflictions ; like a Viper sticking to their hands , and there 't will stick . They cry out and roar , and endeavour to shake these thoughts off , but they recurr , and are like an ill sounding noise in their ears , and inconceivably afflict them : They say , Get thee behind me Satan , but he will not be gone . They cry to God , but he is pleased not to take the thorn out of their souls . These are Temptations , and they are Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts , thus circumstanced , that I now design to speak something to : So that I exclude out of my Discourse ,

1. More transient and volatile , Atheistical , and Blasphemous Thoughts . The wise , the spiritually wise and good man , may have some of these ; God is a Spiritual Being , and so removed from the cognizance of our Senses . Who hath seen his shape at any time ? And the Infiniteness of his Being and Perfections , is so much beyond the span or fathom of our Reason , that the best of men have their doubts sometimes about the Divine Being and Perfections ; which indeed taking their Notions of God from Scripture , they chide away , are humbled for them , suffer them not to abide with them ; and endeavour to establish their souls against them , by testimonies of Scripture , which they firmly believe , and make the only Rule of their Faith , and Director of their apprehensions concerning God . 2. I also exclude from my Discourse such permanent fixed thoughts of Atheism and Blasphemy , as breed in the Soul , and the Soul delighteth in , is well pleased with , studies to fortifie and make good by Argument . For these are only found in Atheists , who are either such avowedly and professedly , and are not ashamed by the words of their lips to declare that superfluity of vileness that is in their hearts . Or else they are such , as in heart thinketh so , though in words they profess otherwise : Such as the Apostle speaketh of , Tit. 1. 16. Who profess that they know God , but do in works deny him , being abominable , disobedient , and to every good work reprobate . I shall very little concern my self as to either of these ; only consider what may be said as to those who have such impressions , but they are their intollerable burthen and affliction . Indeed they are rather to be called impressions , than thoughts ; and let us first inquire into this bitter stream , from what source and fountain it floweth .

CHAP. II.

From whence Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts may proceed ; sometimes from Lust , sometimes from the World ; but these are usually imbraced and nursed up in the Soul . Those that are the Subject of the present Discourse , ordinarily proceed from the Devil , as a Tempter and a Blasphemous Spirit .

THE Adversaries of a Christian , with whom the good fight is to be managed , are usually reckoned to be , The Flesh , the World , and the Devil , their Opposition to us , is by moving , inticing , and perswading us to sin , to the ruin of our Souls . Hence Divines distinguishing Temptations , from their Efficient Cause or Causes , say , There is Tentatio a Carne , a Temptation from the Flesh ; which agreeth with St. James , Every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own LUST and inticed : but that must be understood of such Temptations by which a man is conquered .

2. There is Tentatio ab hoste , a Temptation from the Enemy without , and this is either from the World , that is the Things or Men of the World : Or from the Devil . Any of these may be Tempters in this Case .

1. Lust may be a Tempter to Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts , though I must confess I cannot understand how that should be a tempter to such Thoughts as these , not by us chosen , studied , or delighted in by them . Debaucht Wretches , that give up themselves to Drunkenness , Whoredom , Lying , Cursing , Swearing , Neglect of all Duty to God and Man , are concern'd , if they can , to perswade themselves , That there is no God that seeth them or d●●approveth them , or that hath a superiour power to them , or will judge or condemn them ; for did they believe this , their Consciences would never let them be quiet . Now that lust [ that Sinful desire ] which is in them to keep their lusts without regrets of Conscience or any sowre Reflections , after their Debaucheries , may be a Tempter to them to say in their hearts , yea , and to imbrace a perswasion in their hearts , That there is no God ; but this doth not properly concern our present Case .

2. The World also , [ the men of the world ] may be Tempters to such thoughts as these . The discourses of others you know offer matter for our thoughts to run upon , and as in other causes , so in this , there may be some who may argue Atheism and Blasphemy with us , and who may endeavour to perswade us to such Sentiments . Atheistical and Blasphemous Books may set our thoughts on work , but these can have no great causation in such thoughts as are permanent , afflictive , and troublesome to us . It is in the power of Christians to avoid Atheistical and Blasphemous company ; and to abstain from reading of such Books : Though therefore men of the world may be Tempters to Atheism , yet they can hardly be charged as Tempters in this Case .

3. The Devil ( whom you know the Scriptures call the Tempter ) the Enemy , the Envious one ) is doubtless the principal Efficient cause . He goeth about , like a roaring Lion , seeking whom he may devour ; and he hath many Arts , and Wiles , and Depths , and Methods , which he useth to destroy Souls with ; amongst which this is one , to make impressions of Atheism and Blasphemy upon persons ; by some they are imbraced as Notions that are suited to their Sensual Appetite , and which will very well fit their Carnal Desires : By others they are disgusted , as contrary to those Impressions which the Holy Spirit of God hath made upon their Souls , and their former Notions , Apprehensions , and Belief in God . Yea , so far disgusted , that their Souls are frighted at the sight of these Strangers comming to their House ; and are amazed which way they should ever come in , having to their knowledg never opened the least Window or Door to them , nor any way invited them so much as for an hour or a moment ; their Souls loath and abhorthem , and yet they revive upon them . Temptations of this nature thus circumstanced , can be from no other Tempter than the Devil .

CHAP. III.

No seeming good propounded to such Souls as are thus Tempted , to whom the Temptations are Afflictive . Nor doth the Tempter always use Arguments , not so much hoping to prevail with such souls , as to trouble them to that degree , as to put them upon destroying themselves . To others he useth Arguments , From the No Evidence of the Divine Being to our Sense : The Incomprehensibleness of it , and the Perfections of it by our Reason : The many Disorders which the Divine Wisdom thinketh fit to permit in the World . These are the usual Topicks of Tempters that tempt souls unto Atheisme .

EVery Man when he is tempted is drawn away by his own Lust and enticed , saith St. James ( 1 Jam. ) He is enticed by some glimmerings of good , and so he is drawn away ; but it is vain for us to enquire what seeming good enticeth a Soul , who looketh upon his motions and solicitations , and the things to which the Soul is so solicited , as the greatest Evils in the world . St. James therefore is there speaking not of Temptations in the general , but of such Temptations as flow and proceed from our innate Lust : There must in all Temptations of that nature , be a Bait upon which the Lust in our hearts may feed ; and tho it be not necessary that that Bait be a real Good , yet it must have some appearance of good in it ; for the principles of Humane Nature will not allow it to move into the Embrace● of any thing which it apprehendeth Evil ; but this is not necessary in Temptations which flow solely from the Devil : the eternal ruin of the Soul is the Design of that Envious One , and it is all one whether he can affright or intice the Soul into Hell , whether he can destroy it by Poison or by a more certain Stabb . It may be more worthy our Enquiry , what Arguments the Devil can possibly use with a Soul so far prejudiced against impr●ssions of this nature , that he can hope should prevail with it to receive any such impressions : For the Soul of Man being a rational being , is not like , without something of Reason , or a shew of it , to be brought over to agree to any such impression .

1. What if we should say that possibly the Tempter promiseth himself no such success , what if his design be not to proselyte a Religious Soul to the Proposition which is contrived in his Suggestion , but meerly to weary the Christian out of his life by the constant trouble of his importunity ; and indeed I believe that generally so it is , and that these are but preparative Temptations to Self-murther and Despair , if he cannot by these Suggestions perswade the Soul to blaspheme God , or to deny Gods Infinite Beng and Perfections ; yet if he can but stir up in the Soul such a degree of Impatience , under this sore affliction , as will put the man upon determining his own life deliberately , he hath done his work . Hence it is that in all the Course of my Ministry I never observed Man or Woman long under these Temptations , but they fell into Temptations of the later Nature ; which I the rather hint to you , that you may watch upon , and pray for persons , who are brought under these most sad and dismal circumstances . They are ordinary Praeludiums and Prologues to such Tragedies , and in this case he is not much concerned to bring Arguments before the Soul , it is to be destroyed another way .

2. But indeed as to other Souls , to whom these Temptations are not Afflictions , but meer Diversions and Recreations , he must use Arguments , and he may offer them even to Pious and Religious Souls , how little soever they avail . The Arguments cannot be many which can be brought in such a Cause . They are usually brought from one of these three Heads :

1. From the want of the Evidence of Sense to prove a Divine Being . Spiritual Beings are in this distinguished from those that are bodily , that having no Accidents , no Qualities , such as Colour , or the like ; they are not evident to our External Senses . God is called the Invisible and who ( saith the Holy Ghost ) hath seen God at any time ? Indeed no Spiritual being can be seen , who ever saw the Soul of a Man , or an Angel ( unless in an assumed Shape ) and I look upon the questioning of any such beings , as Spirits , in our age , a fair Argument of the Atheisme that is in those Philosophers Hearts . Yet are we Creatures so much made up of Flesh and Blood , that we are hard to believe any thing but what we see ; that is indeed to believe any thing at all : for seeing and believing are two things very diverse one from another . Who ever saw God ( faith the Devil ) or who at any time hath heard his Voice , & c ? But this is an Argument fit only for Sensual Brutes , and not for any deliberate Soul to be catched by .

2. He will , therefore ( Secondly ) argue from Reason , which is not able by searching to find out God unto perfection . It is usually said , Animal nihil plus Animali sapit . That a living creature knows nothing beyond a living creature of its own size and perfection . Upon this account it is reasonably said , That if a brute Creature could describe a Man , it would describe him as a Brute , not being able to conceive of a Creature beyond its degree of Perfection . It is easie for a man , if he will but make use of his own reason , to conclude that there must be a God , a First Being , and a First Cause ; for that nothing can give a being to , or be the first cause of it self , is a principle so connatural unto us , as we cannot out-face it , nor by our highest debauchery is extinguisht ; but however the First Being should give a being to it self , or the First Cause be its own cause , this is very hard to conceive , until the Soul be assisted by a Divine Light . And the Divine Being being so far transcendent in its perfections to all the perfections that are found in the greatest and wisest of the Sons of Men , it is yet harder to conceive of it aright and not to blaspheme it in our thoughts : We are Creatures that are Limited by Time , Circumscribed by Air and Certain Measures , and it is very hard to us to conceive that there should be a Being without these boundaries , The Immensity , Omnipotence , Omniscience , Infiniteness of any Being , are things transcending the reach of our Conceptions , and tho we can by Reason argue our selves sometimes into an appearing necessity of these Assertions , yet we can hardly give credit to the Eyes of our Minds , they are perfections beyond our grasp . Hence the Great Wits of the World are generally Atheistical , and it seems almost necessary that men should be fools , that they might be wise : Hence is the Socinians denial of the Trinity , and others denial of Gods Omniscience , &c. This gives the Devil a great advantage , putting the Soul upon reflections , How can these things be ? Luther saith Non amo hos Curistas & Quaeristas ( he might have said Quomodistas too ) Audi Verbum Dei & tace . I do not love these Inquirers in Divine things . Why so , or Wherefore , or How are those things ? Hear the Word of God , and hold thy peace .

3. A Third Argument that Satan ordinarily useth in these Temptations , is from the seeming disorders and confusions which the Wisdom of Divine Providence permits in the World . Were there a God ( saith the Devil ) and were he such a God as thou fanciest , would he suffer his Enemies so to prosper , and his Servants to be so trampled upon ? This is an Argument which our own feeble Reason , in compliance with our Lusts , doth often trouble us with ; even David , Jeremy , and Habakkuk , were molested with it . As we are naturally prone to measure the Almighty's Power by the strength of our created Arms , and his Omniscience by the Fathom of our pitiful Comprehensions , and his Eternity by the Span of our own Duration ; so we are as prone to determine concerning his Wisdom by our Policies . We cannot see to the bottom of his depths , nor look up to the top of his heights , but judge of the Infinite Wise God , as if we were to determine concerning a shallow Politician amongst men ; so that whether the Argument be conclusive or no ( which doubtless it is not ) yet it is good enough for the Devil to trouble us with , to tell us , That if indeed there were a God , and such a God as we have heard of , Abel should not have perished by the hands of a bloody Cain , nor the Israelites been oppressed by such a one as Pharaoh ; nor Job put to scrape himself with a pot-sheard . The wicked should not walk on every side , nor the vilest men be exalted . It should not happen to the righteous after the manner of the wicked , nor yet to the wicked according to the desert of the righteous ; nothing but blind Fortune could shut its Eyes and wink at such disorders . These now are the greatest advantages which I can fancy the Devil to have upon any Soul , to induce it to think there is no God , or at least no such God as the Scripture speaks of , and we ordinarily preach to you ; and persons solicited to such a belief , will find some such thoughts as these ordinarily either praevious to or concomitant with the other . But as I said before , in such cases as I am speaking to , he seldom useth much argument , little hopeing to work over the Soul into such a belief , onely designing to give it trouble , in order to a further end : And this is enough to have spoken to this Question , both concerning the want of a bait that should intice the Soul into this Net , and the Arguments which the Tempter ordinarily useth with Such Souls .

CHAP. IV.

Whether these Suggestions be the Souls guilt yea or no ? Two Conclusions laid down in the Case . The Negative is asserted . Five Arguments brought to prove that they are not the Souls guilt . Two things which may stumble the Soul in this thing . Some things offered for its relief under them both .

IT is yet a more valuable question , Whether these Thoughts or Impressions be the Souls guilt yea or no ? This is the more considerable , because if upon a due inquiry they prove not so , this is the best Topick to relieve a Soul from . I shall therefore a little inlarge my Discourse here . I shall in the first place grant , That all temptations of this nature had their foundation in Mans Guilt : And as to particular Souls now existent in Bodies ; they may have had their advantages from their particular Actual Guilt . I say first , All Temptations of this Nature have their foundation in the Original Guilt of Humane Nature ; as in Adam all sinned . Had not the Serpent first beguiled Eve in the State of Innocence , we had not possibly been exposed to such Suggestions , or at least not to such Impressions from them ; we might have had them , but they had not bin so wounding to us : The Infernal Plow-man might have plowed , but he had not made such long Furrows : by these Suggestions in our Souls he had but led this Plough upon a Rock , and attempted us with them as vainly as he did our Saviour . While our first Parents were in their Estate of Innocency , the Devil assaulted them with a Temptation of this Nature ; Gen. 3. 1 , 2 , 3. He did not attempt to perswade the Woman , That there was no God , ( Our first Parents were too lately come out of their Creators hands , to be perswaded , That there was no Supreme Being precedent to them ) but he designed to beget in them blasphemous and most unworthy thoughts of God . That he had deceived them , and not told them the Truth , when he said to them , That in the day they did eat of the fruit of the Tree of Good and Evil , they should die ; and that by it he designed to deprive them of a very great part of their happiness : which makes it evident that Man even in his most perfect State , was capable of such Suggestions . How far the posterity of Adam should have been troubled with this guest , had Eve at first shut him out of doors ; we cannot tell . Christ himself heard something of this Noise in the Wilderness , Matth 4. But with this difference , 1. That he had not a Power to embrace such Motions , they could not be impressive upon him , who was the Express Image of his Fathers Person , and God Equal with his Father over all , blessed for Ever ; nor could they any way torment him , or be afflictive to him . He had a perfect power to repel them , without the least Affliction or Disturbance unto himself . Adam had a Passive Capacity to receive these Fiery Darts , to give credit to these Vile Suggestions , and to sin by occasion of them ; and the Children of Adam have not onely a Passive Capacity to receive such Impressions , but an Active Power and Capacity ; yea , possibly more than so , an Inclination and Propension to feed upon them , to their defilement : and possibly there are scare any Souls in the World , which at one time or other have not been defiled with them , either before or after Conversion , though in very different degrees . In some they have been more transient and volatile , in others more fixed and permanent . In some Souls they been entertained as Guests , and as it were adopted into their Family , to others they have been but as violent knockings and rappings at the doors , or like the throwing in of Stones at the Windows , which the Master of the House could not help . Further yet , as to particular Souls troubled with them , they may for ought I know have bin occasioned by , or advantaged from , those Souls former guilt .

I say occasioned from it . God by his Righteous Judgment suffering the Devil to stand at Peoples Right-hand in a just Punishment of them , for their not studying to be Rooted , and Grounded in the Faith , for their Desultory Levity , and Incertainty in the things of God ; or some other Sins . They may be Advantaged from some former Guilt , when Persons have formerly allowed themselves to read Prophane and Atheistical Books , to listen unto , and hear profane and Atheistical Discourses , to Feed upon Atheistical Arguments , &c. But this is not the Question .

Secondly therefore , I conclude : That such Motions and Impressions ( or if you will so call them ) Thoughts , as are received with Horrour and Trouble , and Trembling , and are not delighted in , but rejected by the Soul , I say , Thoughts thus circumstanced , let them have never so much Atheism and Blasphemy in them , are not the Guilt of that Soul that feeleth the Load and Burthen of them . Now this being so great , if not the onely thing , that can successfully be spoken for the Relief of Souls under them ; I shall endeavour to justify this Conclusion by some following Arguments .

1. My first shall be from the Received Opinion of Divines : That the very first Motions to Sins are not Sins . Every man may observe in his Soul a threefold Motion towards a sinful Act: 1. There is a Motion which is called Primo Primus , the very first ; and indeed is not the Motion of the Soul , but a Motion to the Soul , a Forreign not a Domestick intrinsick Motion , but from the Devil or the Men of the World . The Second is attended with some inward Delight and Pleasure . When there is not only a Motion made to the Soul to do something that is Evil , but it causeth some Ticklings and Pleasure in the Soul . Tho possibly the Soul as yet resolves not on it , nor desireth the producing of it into Act , yet it is pleased with it , and the Motion is sweet to its Taste . This is what Divines call Concupiscence , what the Scripture calleth Lust , and is doubtless Sinful , and forbiden in the Tenth Commandement ; without which the Apostle saith he had not known it to be Sin : Rom. 7. 7. The Third is , That Motion by which the Soul moveth towards the Actual Commission of it , resolving upon it , contriving how to bring it about ; &c. This is forbidden in every Commandement , which according to our Saviours Interpretation of the Decalogue , doth not only restrain and prohibit the overt Act , but all the inward Motions of the Heart , tendent and leading to such Act : but the first is prohibited in no Command .

2. Nor indeed is it reasonable for any to fancy that it should ; for it is not reasonable to imagine that God should forbid ●s Acts that are not our Acts. Motions of this Nature are not our Actions , we are only the Objects of them , not the Agents in them . When God forbiddeth us Sin , he forbiddeth us not to omit something which he hath Commanded us to do , or to forbear something which he requireth us not to avoid . He doth not forbid us the Actions of others , which we cannot prevent . Suggestions and Impressions of this Nature are the meer Actions of others , to which we no way concurr . What are not our Acts cannot be our Sins .

3. Thirdly , I argue from the Words of our Saviour , Matth. 15. 11. Not that which goeth into a Man d●fileth a Man ; but that which cometh out of a Man , that defileth a Man : and to the same purpose , Mar. 7. 20. Are you so without Understanding also ? Do you not perceive , that whatsoever from without entreth into a Man , it cannot defile him ; because it entreth not into his Heart : v. 20. And he said , that which cometh out of the Man , that defileth the Man ; for from within , out of the Heart of Man , proceed Evil Thoughts , Adulteries , Fornications , Murthers , Thefts , Covetous●ess , Wickedness , Deceit , Las●●viousness , an Evil Eye , Blasphemy , Pride , Fo●lishness ; all these Evil things come from within , and defile the Man . I know our Saviour is there discoursing , relating to the Pharisaical Supersticious Conceit of Mens being Defiled by Eating with unwashen hands . But this Discourse led him to lay down some General Maxims of unquestionable Truth .

1. That that which meerly entreth into a Man from without , cannot defile him .

2. That what defileth a Man , must be something of his own , something which cometh out of himself . His Destruction must be from himself .

3. That amongst these things may be Evil Thoughts , for they proceed from the Heart ; v. 21.

4. That what proceedeth not from the Heart , cannot Defile . Let me now a little Apply this to the present purpose : Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts thus Circumstanced , do meerly Enter into us from without ; we suppose the Soul not to contrive and breed them , not to study and delight in them : They are in a Sense within a Man , the Soul hears the Noise , feels the Impression of them , but they Enter from without , from an Agent that is without the Man . Secondly , They are not a Mans own , he doth not Hugg or Imbrace them , or Feed upon them ; they are but as Bastards laid at his Door , not born in his House , not bred of his own Soul . Thirdly , Though they be Evil Thoughts , yet they proceed not from the Heart . A Mans Imaginative Power relates to his Sensitive Part , his Understanding is but the Out-room of his Soul : Thus far indeed these Evil Thoughts enter into a Man , they make some Impressions upon his Power of Imagination ; that is an Open Faculty , to which a Man hath no Lock or Barr , so long as there are Sensible Objects , or Sinful Agents in the World , they will have some Passage into this Entry of the Soul of Man . The Understanding , which is the Porter to the Heart , takes some Cognizance of all Passengers into it , so as a Man may have some Notions and take some Cognizance , and make some Judgment of these Evil Thoughts ; but yet they are not come into the Heart , which is the Will of Man : here they come not , out of this they proceed not , they are not willed , nor chosen , they are not loved nor delighted in , the Soul melts not in any imbraces of them , but is scared at the sight of them ; abominateth , rejecteth and abhorreth them . So as these things proceed not out of the Heart nor indeed were ever admitted into the Heart .

4. Fourthly , If these were the Souls Guilt , how shall we excuse our Saviour from Guilt , or Eve before she yielded to the Tempter , or Joseph , though he resisted the Motion of his Mistriss . Our Saviour was made like unto us in all things ( Sin only excepted ) but how shall he be excused from Guilt , if Satans troublesome Motions to him were a Guilt ? The Devil tempted him , though not to things of this Nature , yet to sinful Acts , to distrust the Providence of God , to destroy himself , &c. He received his Suggestions with detestation and abhorrence , he said to him , Get thee behind me Satan . The Devil was Guilty by his Motions , but no Guilt clave to our Saviour , rejecting and abominating his Motions . It is true , he did not receive them with that Passion , that Horrour and Trembling which Pious Men oft do , but that only speaks him freed from that Passion and Weakness under which we labour . Again , Who will say that Eve , our First Parent , sinned , by hearing the Serpent speak to her , before she saw the Tree was Good for Food , and that it was Pleasant to the Eyes , and a Tree to be desired to make one Wise : And took of the Fruit thereof , and did Eat ? Who will say , That Joseph's Mistriss , soliciting him to lie with her , was his Guilt ? She cast her Eyes upon him , she said , Lie with me . But he refused , as you read ; he said , How shall I do this great wickedness , and sin against God ? Neither was this a single but repeated Motion : She was Importunate with him . The Text saith , Gen. 39. 10. That she spake to him day by day , but the Text also saith , That he hearkned not unto her to lie by her , or to be with her ; and not doing this , Joseph doubtless was not Guilty . The case is much the same with thee , the Tempter hath said unto thee , Do not believe there is a God , or a Christ , or that he ever was made Man , or died for the sins of man ; or that God is such a one , so Just , so Omniscient , &c. And thus he talks to thee day by day , but thou hearkenest not to the Tempter , thou wilt not so much as parly with , or deliberate upon them , much less give credit unto them ; how art thou in this more Guilty than Joseph ? Tho thy Tempter dealeth with thee more secretly by Impressions on thy Spirit , his , more externally by Audible Words ; and thy Temptation be to a more Spiritual , his to a more Fleshly Wickedness , yet this Act is not more , if so much as his .

5. Lasty , I argue from that known Maxime in Divinity , Omne peccatum est voluntarium . All sin must be voluntary : It is most certainly true of Actual Sin : It is also true of Original Sin . The Sin of Adam , which was Peccatum Originans , was voluntary , and we all in him voluntarily hearkened to the Serpent , and had our Hands , all our Hands in Eves Hand , which she reached up to pluck of the Fruit of that Tree . And for the Original Corruption and depravation of our Natures , it was but consequent to that , and so contracted voluntarily . But Actual Sin must apparently be voluntary , for an involuntary Action is no humane Action . Now in this case here is nothing of the Will , the poor Creature cries , Get thee behind me Satan : It would not hear such a Noise , nor entertain such a Thought , it trembleth at the fears of the returns of them . I have seen one my self in such an Agony at but the fears of the return of them , that I have thought every Limb of him shaked , and trembled : I have heard another , that had recovered once from these violences , hearing me Discourse of them , say , O Sir it is an Hell upon the Earth . ( And these are but two Instances of diverse I could name ) so that apparently here is nothing of the Will imbracing and chusing these things , nothing of the Affections , desiring , loving , delighting in such Thoughts : so as they cannot be the Souls defilement and guilt , tho they indeed be its most insupportable Burthen and Affliction . This is to me so plain , that I can hardly conceive upon what mistake a Soul under this intollerable Burden , should charge it self with Guilt , with reference to these Thoughts : Yet two things it may possibly say ,

1. That it is hard to conceive that the Tempter , following this poor Soul from day to day , but that it should have so far deliberated upon , or consented unto such Thoughts , as to be rendred Guilty before God .

2. That by giving Ear to some Atheistical Discourses , or by Reading some Blasphemous and Atheistical Books , or it may be , Entertaining some such Atheistical Thoughts formerly , and Arguing within it self for them , it is become Guilty ; and now God doth but Righteously punish it with them .

To both which I shall oppose but two things ,

1. That as to the first it must be determined by the Soul , that is under these Impressions , they troubling it from day to day , month to month , and it may be year to year ; whether it hath not at all , in any degree , deliberated upon them , consented and agreed so far to them , as to make it Guilty in some degree ; and indeed it is hard to conceive , that in this thing the Soul should be wholly and intirely Innocent : but admit it be not , yet surely these are no other Spots then what may be found in the Faces of Gods dearest Children , no other then Sins of Infirmity , and Humane Frailty ; and such as in other cases , the best of Men and Women daily incurr the Guilt of : which upon our daily Confession and Repentance of , a Soul may warrantably expect Gods Pardon for , through the Blood of Jesus Christ , and so ought not to ly so heavy upon the Soul .

2. Secondly , Admit that the Soul , before its turning unto God , may have given too much occasion and advantage to the Tempter to offer those Impressions ; and that these are but youthful vanities repeated to us by the Tempter : yet certainly the Souls present abhorrence and detestation of them , its present trembling , and trouble , at the repetition of them , ought to be a far greater comfort and relief to the Soul , than the repetition of them ought to be trouble , or disturbance . Thou heretofore had'st such Thoughts , but then they did not trouble thee , thou didst entertain and cherish them : now the repetition of them makes thee weary of thy Life , are the greatest burden that thou didd'st ever feel : What is here to disturb thee ? If thou indeed didd'st delight to roll over those Follies , former Follies in thy Thoughts , if thy Soul allowed them its close embraces and pleasure , this were something formidable ; but while thy Soul abhorreth , detesteth them , while with all thy might , thou repellest them ; it is a sign God hath both pardoned thy former Guilt , as to them , and also renewed and changed thy Heart ; then which nothing can speak better for thee .

So that if we wistly consider it , we shall find , That admit a Christian under these disturbances , can justly check himself , for too free an Admission of such Thoughts formerly , yet his present Affliction for them , abhorrence , and detestation of them , speaks comfort , not trouble to him ; and from this Discourse it may easily be concluded , That the great Torments and Disturbances of Souls upon this account , are generally groundless . The Souls which shall Account unto God another day for Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts , are generally such as never made any complaint of them . A Man never feels the Eternal Wrath of God in another Life , for those sins , the burden of which he hath felt in this Life , and the Guilt of which he hath been truly afraid of , and trembled at and studied to avoid : Much less for the sinful acts of another , to which he hath not consented . This is a thing so obvious , that one would wonder that any thing of this nature should stick with an Intelligent Christian , or with any Soul that is but indifferently acquainted with the Covenant of Grace and the Promises of the Gospel . Hast thou formerly been Guilty of some Atheistical Blasphemous Thoughts , which for a time thou entertainedst without any just regret ? Or hast thou not made so quick and ready an Opposition to them as thou oughtest , yet thou hast a Promise , Matth. 12. 31. All Sin and Blasphemy wherewith a man shall blaspheme , shall be forgiven unto Men. To what men thinkest thou ? What to them that persist in them , and study to maintain them , or to those that repent of them ? Thou wilt certainly say to the later , not to the former . Why are thou then thus unreasonably disturbed ? Thou hearest that even for this Guilt , there is a Balm in Gilead , there is a Physician there . Doest thou say , Ah but I do not repent ? What doest thou understand by Repentance ? Is it not an hearty Trouble for them , an hearty Loathing and Detestation of them , a Trembling at the very remote Thoughts of them , an hearty desire to be rid of them ; and to entertain them no more : Repentance ? What is Repentance then ? With what Imaginable colour of Reason or Pretence of Scripture , canst thou charge thy self with the Guilt of that Sin which thou truly Loathest , Abhorrest , Tremblest at , Studiest to avoid . And indeed this Temptation hath apeared to me , sometimes conversing with Souls in their Distress , one of the most Inaccountable Things in the World , as to the causes of it ; especially when this Disturbance hath fallen upon Intelligent Souls , acquainted with the Gospel and the Terms of the Covenant of Grace . For whereas the Devil useth this ordinarily but as a praevious Temptation , to enforce another to Self Murther or habituated Despair , one would wonder that any such Suggestions as these , no better entertained , could possibly induce the Soul to those other Sins : but so it is , upon Experience we find it , that these are oft times most unspeakable disturbances . It will be therefore worth our while , in the last place to consider what may be done , by , or for our Souls , yet at Liberty , to prevent these great incumbrances of our Peace ; as also for the Relief of those Souls , who ( through the permission of a Wise God ) are fallen under such a tremendous Providence as this is : and this is my last Work .

CHAP. V.

Christians under these Temptations , advised , To fix upon this , That they are not the Souls guilt . Luther's Advice in the Case . 2. To possess it self with true Notions of God from Scripture , avoiding the taking such Notions from Sense or Reason . Three advantages from that . This one , 3. Not to forbear Reading , and Hearing the Word . 4. Avoiding the Company of Blasphemers and Atheists , or reading their Books . 5. To take all lawful Diversions . 6. To be much in the company of good Christians . 7. To give such Thoughts no entertainment . 8. To be much in Fasting and Prayer .

HEre are two things : 1. What may be done for Prevention . 2. What for a present Support and Relief ; but they may both be spoken to with the same breath : for the same Directions , which are proper for the prevention of them , when remote from us , will also be found useful for the Support and Consolation of a Christian groaning under the burthen of them .

1. The first thing to be done , is for to perswade the Soul , or for the Soul to prepossess or perswade it self , That these impressions lay it under no guilt before God , and do not render it unlovely in the sight of God . Luther was an eminent Servant of God , much himself exercised with temptations and much conversing with those who were so exercised ; It is said of him that he was wont to say , That the three things which made a Divine , were Temptation , Meditation and Prayer . In his Commentary upon Psal. 90. he takes special notice of this Tenptation to Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts , I cannot direct you better than in the words of that great Man of God .

It often hapeneth ( Luth. c. 4. p. 4. 34. Jen. in Psal. 90. 1. ) saith he , and I have seen it in many , that when they have discerned themselves exercised with these thoughts , they have been as men without life : There is therefore a necessity they should be governed ; and the True Government of them is this , Ut statuas te non ideo esse a Deo abjectum quod ista sentis , for you to determine that you are not rejected of God because of them ; for altho there be some cause of them in us , and they are the fruits of Original Sin , yet they are much promoted and augmented by the Tempter the Devil . For it often happeneth that the Soul sincerely and passionately desires to be delivered from them , but it cannot : there , saith he , this advice is to be followed , That the Soul do not , because of them , despair . 2. That it oppose such thoughts what it can possibly , and not approve , nor indulge them — For , saith he , these thoughts are not therefore sent , for you to judge your self from them ; but that you may oppose and withstand them . — When ( saith he ) the Devil hath Tempted us with these Blasphemous Thoughts , he goes on — See , saith he , what an Heart you have , Are you not now a grievous Sinner ? This the Soul cannot deny . He groweth upon this , God is therefore , saith he , very angry with thee : How can God but be angry with such a Blasphemer ? Here , saith he , do but yield a little , and he sinketh you , and I have known many thus undone . — You must therefore govern these Thoughts , you must oppose the Adversary , and fix your self upon this , That God is not displeased with you for these Impressions and Thoughts , if you do not entertain and indulge them . Thus far that great man . And indeed this is the first and great thing to be learned by the Soul . The Sin of Atheism and Blasphemy will in an Hour of Temptation ( especially ) appear so great , so hainous unto the Soul , that unless you can deliver such a Soul from the apprehensions of such a guilt , all that you can say to it will be of little avail . Ministers and private Christians dealing and treating with Souls in these paroxysmes , ought to lay the great Stress here , and to make this the Alpha and Omega of their Discourses . What may be said to evince this to the Soul I have largely shewed you in the former Chapter : Let the thus troubled Soul meditate of those things , and let Experienced Ministers and Christians add what they can of that nature , and lay the great Stress here , and they will find all little enough to induce a Soul thus circumstanced to be thus perswaded ; and on the other side , if this be done , the Cure is wrought , the Soul will then quickly understand that Faith and Patience are its work : The more wee can shew the Soul of the Devil in the Impression , the more it will be frighted from hearkening to , or complying with him , and the more Valiant will the Christian be in this Spiritual Combate : Mind therefore Christians under these circumstances , that Christ himself was not without such kind of Sinful Impressions , yet without Sin : That our first Parents in Innocency had them : That it is contrary to what our Saviour hath Taught us to think , that any thing , That is from without , and entereth into a Man , defileth a Man ; That there is no Law prohibits them . That there being nothing of our own will in them , it is Impossible they should be our guilt , &c. But these things I have further opened , and enlarged upon in the former Chapter .

Secondly , Indeavour to possess your selves with the truest apprehensions of God you can . This is good before the hour of Temptation , it will prepare you for the Spiritual Combate ; and if you have neglected this before , yet do not neglect it in the hour of Temptation . Here I shall onely give you this caution , Take heed of taking your Notions of God from Sense , or meerly from Reason . 1. Not from Sense , Spiritual Beings fall under no cognisance of the External Senses . None ever saw Gods Shape , none ever saw his Similitude ; and here let me caution you , against any Pictures of God , or any Person in the God-head . We are ready in our minds to form Idea's in our minds of any Beings according to the representations , which Pictures and Images make of them . It is Impossible but all Pictures , Images , or External representations , of the Divine Being , must be Teachers of Lyes . It is impossible that a Limner should draw the true representation of a man whom he never saw . How is it possible he should draw any representation of an Invisible God , a Being which he neither ever saw nor can see ? The fairest pretence is for the Picture of our Saviour , who assumed our nature , and was a man in all things . But all those Pictures must be Teachers of lies too : For Christ was God-Man , and the representation of a Man is no representation of the Person of the Mediatour . Doth any say that upon the same Argument there should be no Pictures drawn , for a Picture doth but represent our Fleshly Part , the Soul cannot be expressed . I answer there yet are these differences : 1. The Picture of our friend is the representation of a being that we know is or was informed with a reasonable Soul , so as the other essential part of the man , is on course understood ; but it is not so as to Christ . Tho the Picture of an humane Shape hath this advantage , that we may understand under it a reasonable Soul , of which every man is possessed , yet we cannot under any such Shape understand the Divine Nature personally united to the Humane Nature . 2. Again , Even the Picture of a man , if it hath no similitude of the man , is but a Teacher of a lie , and doth but help our thoughts with false notions and conceptions . And what Limner ever saw the Lord in his Humane Shape , to draw a representation of him ? What need any Pictures of Christ , when every man we see , is as true a representation of him , as any Limner can make , who never saw him in the flesh , nor a true Copy to draw him by . I am apt to believe that this was one Reason of Gods so severe prohibition of Images and the Likeness of any thing to represent God ; because he knew that those things would be of this pernicious use , to give us false notions and Idea's of God : for you shall observe when you have seen the pretended Picture , or resemblance of a Man , you will fancy him according to that Representation , whether the Picture be any thing like the Person for whom it is made , yea or no. 3. To which I might add , That admitting a Picture of a Man , or a Friend , be not like the Person , and give our Fancies a false Notion of him , yet in this there is no Sin , no Defilement , no Guilt upon the Soul by it ; but to Conceive amiss of God is a thing quite of another Nature and of further danger to the Soul . This hath made me sometimes wonder , that Luther , tho he abhorred Images , and shewed as great a detestation of them as any other , as they are used in Popery , as they are means or objects of Adoration ; yet allowed the use and standing of them in Churches . Certainly it is a thing of very dangerous consequence , whether in Churches or our own private Houses ; for we shall find a great proneness in us to form out Notions of God according to such representations ; and if those representations be lies , and false , such will our Notions be : and if this be not a fair way to fill the Soul with Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts concerning God and Christ , I do not know what is .

2. Secondly , Take heed of taking your Notions of God from Reason . Reason is a power within us , by which we make Conclusions from some Principles . Now these Principles are either Connatural to us , and bred in , and with us ; or such as we have from Revelation . Reason working upon Connate Natural Principles , will much convince us , that there is a God , and shew us also something what manner of Being God must be . Nature will tell us that nothing is the cause of it self , and will lead us to a Primum Mobile , a first Being , a first Cause , a first Mover ; and will teach us , That whosoever is the Cause of any Excellency or Perfection in another by his Communication of it , if he loseth nothing by that Communication , must needs have that Perfection and Excellency in a more Eminent Degree in himself . But alas the Divine Being is Infinitely above the Fathom and Comprehension of Humane Reason , concluding only from Connate and Natural Principles . There is an Excellent use of Reason to give us the true Notion of God : That is by setting it on Work , to conclude from Principles of Revelation ; First firmly Believing whatever is revealed in Holy Writ , then using our Reason both to compare Scripture with Scripture , to find out the true Revelation , the true sense and meaning of Holy Writ ; and to shew us that what the Scripture revealeth concerning God , is but what Reason will allow may be .

3. But the Surest Way for Persons to come to a true Notion of God , is to attend to what the Scripture saith , to Believe concerning God , whatsoever we find there . No man hath seen God at any time , no Reason is able to Comprehend an Infinite Being , and the Perfections of it , but the Son of God , and the Holy Spirit of God . They have Revealed God , and thence we must take those Measures of the Knowledg of God , which we are capable of , till we come to see him as he is , and to know him as we are known . Let it be therefore the Care of every Christian from those Sacred Writings to posess himself of due Notions and just Apprehensions of the Divine Being . A Christian shall find these three Eminent Advantages of this Knowledge according to the Measure we are Capable of .

1. There is no such Director of our Internal and External Homage to God , as a just Notion of the Divine Being . According to our Apprehensions of his Majesty , Power , Greatness , and Justice , so shall we Adore , Revere , and Fear him : According to our Apprehensions of his Goodness and Mercy , so we shall Love him , Breath after him , and Delight in him . According to our Apprehensions of his Truth and Fidelity , so shall we Confide , and Trust in him . If we truly Apprehend him as a Spirit , we shall Conclude he must be Worshipped with our Spirits , and that all Noises and Exteriour pretended Homages ( if not expresly commanded by him ) are indeed no Homage to him , but some foolish Acts of Voluntary Humility , and that all Lip Labour , all Bodily Homage , seperated from the Internal Homage , Attention , and Intention of the Soul , and its Stooping before him , are of no avail ; being no preportionable Homage to a Spiritual Being in the Eye of Reason , nor required by him at all .

2. Secondly , There is no such Antidote as this against the P●●s●● of Erroneous Doctrines and Opinions . We have abroad many Erroneous Doctrines relating to the great Truths of God , if they be searched to the bottom , you will find them springing up out of a false Apprehension and Conception of the Nature of God . It were easie to shew you how a due Knowledg and Conception of God , will fortify the Soul against many Errors . But ,

3. Lastly , There is no such Weapon to repel these Fiery Darts , of which I am speaking . A Soul is not soon dispossest of such Notions of God , as it is once well rooted in ; and especially when it is rooted in them upon the Authority , the Infallible Authority of a Divine Revelation . It is good therefore for Christians , before any such Temptations come upon them , to be well Instructed concerning the Nature and Attributes of God , and to entertain no Notions but such as shall be confirmed unto him from Scriptures ; nor is any thing of more Advantage to a Soul in an hour of such great Temptations , than to Read , and have Read to him , Discourses of this nature ; such especialy as are most Scriptural , and indeavour to Establish the Faith of Christians , not in or by the wisdom of men , but the Power of God . Let this be a Second Direction .

3. Thirdly , Let no Soul under these Temptations , forbear Reading the Scriptures and waiting upon God in the hearing of his Word . I have often observed and lamented the great Conquest which the Devil ordinarily getteth over Souls under this as well as other great Temptations , in perswading them to forbear Reading and Hearing the Word of God . Luther tells us , That it is the Devils great Art , — Ut nos abducat ab oratione et verbo ut sic nudos aggrediatur ac vincat . To draw us off from the Word , that so he may set upon us disarmed , and make a Conquest of us . The Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit , if the Devil can get us off from that , he hath taken our Sword from us ; the Preaching of the Word ( I mean when it is Preached plainly and faithfully , that Christians do not meerly hear 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , the Words of Men puffed up with the Idle Conceits of their own Rhethorick or Logick ) is Gods great Ordinance , with which he concurreth , and where he is present . And this I have observed in Experience , when any Christians under these violences , have been perswaded to go out and to hear the Word , they have ordinarily found those their freest Hours ; tho it may be the Temptation hath afterwards returned : I know Christians under these Circumstances find a great strife with themselves , and go out with some difficulty to hear Sermons ; but I never but knew a good effect of their going , either for a shorter , or a more lasting Relief .

4. Fourthly , Let Christians under these Circumstances , and not then onely , but at all times , avoid any communion or converse with Atheistical and Blasphemous Persons , or Reading or looking upon any Atheistical and Blasphemous Books . Thoughts you know engender in us by Reflexion upon what we see or hear , or else they are bred by the workings of our own Minds , without such Aids and Assistances . Oh beware of these things as the Bane and Poyson of thy Soul ; do what thou canst , thy Mind will be revolving , thy Thoughts will be roling upon what thou hast seen , read , or heard . Avoid therefore Atheistical Persons , Blasphemous Company . What knowest thou how farr God will leave thee , when thou hast run thy self into a Temptation .

5. Fifthly , If any such Thoughts arise in thy Heart , give them no entertainment . Chide them down , turn thy mind to some other Objects , do not give them place for an hour , no if it be possible not for a moment ; these Cockatrices are best crush'd in the Egg. Allow no parly with no study or deliberation upon , or with a Thought derogatory to the Majesty on high , to the Honour and Glory of the great God .

6. Sixthly , If thou beest already under the pressure of these Thoughts , give thy self all lawful Diversion thou canst . There is a Religious Diversion , by Reading , Hearing , Prayer , which besides the Diversion that is in them , are thy Duties , Ordinances of God ; but there are also Civil Diversions of Worldly Business , Moderate Recreations . Some of the former I have already advised , and shall by and by speak something to the other : But allow thy self also these other Diversions , better it is for thee to be doing any thing that is lawful , than sitting still and doing nothing but afflicting and tormenting thy self , and yielding up thy self entirely to the Conduct and Governance , and Suggestions of thy grand Adversary .

7. Seventhly , Be much in the company of Faithful Ministers and Good Christians , such especially as are knowing and experienced ; as the Lips of Wicked Men talk of Mischief ; Pro. 24. 2. and as the Preacher saith , Swallow up themselves and others also , so the Lips of Knowledge are a precious Jewel ; Pro. 20. 15. they disperse Knowledge ; Prov. 15. 7. They feed many ; Prov. 10. 21. Yea and they Heal many . It is a Saying of Luther ( in the aforementioned place , Ingens est pondus in verbo fratris quod tempore periculi ex Scripturâ pronuntiatur : There is a great Weight even in a private Christians Words pronounced from Scripture . The healing is in the Divine Word , let it come to thee through what Vehicle it will ; sometimes it pleaseth God , that it should come out of the Word as running through the Ministers Lips . He is Gods Ordinance . Sometimes , as running out of the private Christians Lips : Private Christians , are also a more private Ordinance of God , for the Admonition of those that are running into danger , the restoring of such as are fallen , the comforting of those that are sad , and the strengthening of those that are weak .

8. Lastly , Let all such as are under this Temptation be much in Fasting and Prayer . Prayer is an Universal Remedy for all Evils : Our Saviour hath told us there is a kind of Divils , that goeth not out but by Fasting and Prayer ; and because for the most part Christians under these Circumstances are not so fit for Solemn Prayers as others are , let them here call in the help of Ministers and good Christians , whom they may reasonably think have an Interest in , and a Power with God , and shall prevail ; who can take hold of the Lords Strength , and ask him with Success concerning the Works of his Hands ; and will not let the Lord go until he blesseth them . The hand of Joab , the hand of the Devil is in this thing , and the strong man keepeth the house until a stronger than he cometh ; and the Devil hath no Superiour but the Almighty . In this Case therefore all Friends of such Persons are highly concerned to get Prayers for them , Solemn Prayers ; for the Affliction is exceeding heavy , none more inaccountable , none more intollerable : My self have known it as to two issues , in the destroying of themselves , not able to stand under the burthen of it ; tho as to several I have known it have a better Issue . I onely tell you this , to mind you to be more careful , more concerned , and to neglect no Natural , Moral , or Spiritual Means .

I must Confess the Regular Method of Curing Spiritual , as well as Natural Distempers , is by removing the Cause ; but as in some Natural Distempers it is not easie to find out the true Cause , which makes the Cure difficult , so neither is it easie to find out the true cause here : Melancholy is one Cause of several Distempers of the Soul , disposing a person to more Thoughtfulness and Seriousness , to more Fears and Jealousies , &c. and Direful and Black Thoughts concerning our selves ; whence it is not hard to conceive how Persons in whom that prevaileth to a great Excess ( if before they have ever minded their Souls and their Eternal Interest ) should by it be disposed to Excessive Fears and Desperate Thoughts , as to their Eternal State , but it is hard to understand , how the prevalence of that or any other peccant Bodily Humour should dispose Persons to Atheistical , or Blasphemous Thoughts of , or against God ; further then that it may run Persons into a Deliration : so as beeing broke loose from the Conduct and Government of Reason , they shall think and talk any thing . Nor were it difficult to give some account of this Temptation , if we could find that such alone fell under it , as formerly were Persons of Atheistical Principles or Lives . God as to such might be reasonably thought to give them up to a Reprobate Mind , and Understanding : but we upon Experience find , that they are very often the grievences of Pious and Devout Souls , who have lived a life in a daily Dread and Holy Reverence of God ; and as to such , what Account further to give of them , then , That they are heavy Trials , with which it pleaseth the Wise God sometimes to Exercise his Dearest People , I cannot tell .

FINIS .

Concerning TEMPTATIONS TO Self-Murther .

CHAP. I.

The Text 1 John 3. 15. opened shortly . How far the Sin of Murther extendeth , beyond what is punishable by the Judge , To the Killer of himself , as well as to the Killer of others . In what Sense . No Murtherer hath Eternal Life . Two things understood by Eternal Life . Whether it be in no case lawful for one to kill himself ? That it is not , proved by Four Arguments . Whether no person , that hath Eternal Life in the Seed ( being born of God ) or shall have it in the Fruit , can kill himself . Six Conclusions resolving that Case . One that killeth himself directly may have Eternal Life . One that murthereth himself cannot . The difference of those two Expressions .

THe Apostle , 1 John . 3. 15. determineth thus , Whosoever hateth his Brother , is a Murtherer , and you know that no Murtherer hath Eternal Life abiding in him . It is onely the later part of that verse which I shall concern my self in , not intending to consider the Sin of Murther , so far as it relateth unto our Brother , but as it relateth to our selves ; and the same Person may be both the Murtherer , and the Murthered , and the Apostle concluding generally 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , Every Murtherer hath not ; or no Murtherer hath Eternal Life in himself ; ( for they are Equipollent Phrases ) gives me this liberty . Though the Murtherer he is speaking of in this Text , is the Murtherer of his Brother , and that but in his Heart , by a rooted inveterate Hatred : The Proposition of this Text is plainly this , That no Murtherer hath Eternal Life abiding in him ; In the Explication of which here are two Terms to be Opened . 1. Who is a Murtherer . 2. In what Sense it is said , That no Murtherer hath Eternal Life in himself . As to the first I shall conclude ,

1. That Murther according to the Law of God , extendeth much farther , then it is or can be enquired , of , or punished by the Law of Man . This appeareth evidently from the Apostle in this place , where he saith that , He who hateth his Brother , is a Murtherer ; no Law of Man saith so , nor proportioneth a Punishment to the Secret Motions of the Heart , but the Law of God doth : Hence our Saviour correcting the Pharisees in Interpretation of the Law of God , and in justification of himself , that he came not to destroy it , but to fulfil it , begins with the giving the Sense of this Commandement far different from what the Pharisees had given , Matth. 5. 20 , 21. You have heard that it hath been said by them of old time , you shall not kill ; and whosoever kills , shall be guilty of the Judgement : But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause , shall be in danger of the Judgment : and whosoever shall say unto his Brother Raca , shall be in danger of the Council : But whosoever shall say , Thou Fool , shall be in danger of Hell-fire . From these two Texts appears , that by the Law of God , not onely he who actually sheddeth Mans Blood without a just cause , and putteth a period to his days ; but he who entertaineth in his heart any thoughts , purposes , or designs , any deliberations , or gives consent to such a thing , he who takes a pleasure in any such thoughts , or entertaineth any . Affection or Passion conducing to such an end , or useth any means towards it , is a Murtherer . Upon this account St. John saith , he that hateth his Brother , is a Murtherer . Now the Law of Man that onely judgeth of overt Acts , and determineth him onely a Murtherer , that wilfully , and without due Authority , doth take away the life of another . The Text in St. John must be necessarily extended further .

2. Secondly , According to the Laws of Men as well as the Laws of God , He who wilfully , and without due Authority , putteth an end to his own Life , is a Murtherer , as well as he who so taketh away the Life of another . The Law saith , Thou shalt not bear false Witness against thy Neighbour ; but it says , Thou shalt do no Murther , in timating that a Man may be guilty of Murther by Murthering himself , as well as by taking away the Life of his Neighbour . And the Laws of Men do so adjudge it , though the Punishment due to Murther cannot be inflicted on one already dead , yet they order Shame and Ignominy , Forfeiture of Goods , Ignominious Burial , to testifie their Judgment of the Fact : And indeed the Law . of the Second Table being against Violations of Charity , and for the maintaining Charity , and preventing the Violations of , and Breaches upon Humane Society , it is unreasonable to think , That this Charity should not begin at our selves , and that we should not be under higher Obligations to preserve our own Lives than the Lives of our Neighbours ; as much obliged not to deface the Image of God upon our selves , as upon others . Which is the reason that God himself giveth of his first Precept to Noah against Murther , Gen. 9. 6. Whoso sheddeth Mans Blood , by Man shall his Blood be shed ; for in the Image of God made he Man : So then the Murtherer in Scripture Sense is , That Man or Woman who wilfully , and without any just cause , or due Authority , putteth an end to his own Life , or the Life of another , or who nourisheth in his Heart , any Purpose , Design , or Deliberation , or Affection of that tendency , or speaketh any Words of that tendency , or doth any Action tending to it , though it be not perfective of it .

From this Notion of Murther , and Murtherers , evidently appeareth that two sorts of Persons are not to be charged with this great Guilt . 1. Such as are Instruments of Death unto others in a just War , or in times of Peace , at the command of the Magistrate in the Execution of Justice ; when Men for their Crimes are righteously adjudged to Death , and Persons are commanded to execute the Sentence : Nor such who ( intending no such thing ) by accident , and against their Wills , are occasion of Death either to themselves or others : This we usually call Manslaughter , not Murther . Nor such who in their own just defence are forced to kill others , suppose Robbers by the High-way , or breaking into our Houses . God himself determined this , Exod. 22. 2. If a Thief be found breaking up , and be smitten that he die , there shall no Blood be shed for him . If the Sun be risen there shall be Blood shed . The Reason of that is , because then help might have been called in , and he taken ; and by the Law of God , he was to make Restitution ; or if he had nothing , he was to be sold for his Theft ; as you read there , v. 3. So that the killing of him was not necessary for the defence of him that was robbed : But my design is not to handle the Cases relating to Murther of another , nor indeed any of them , onely to speak to Self-Murther : However the Text saith , No Murtherer hath Eternal Life . We have heard the Subject , let me open the Praedicate , and shew in what Sense the Proposition is true , That no Murtherer hath Eternal Life .

2. Eternal Life is to be considered , either , In the First Fruits of it , or the fuller Harvest .

1. In the First Fruits , and so it must be considered here , or else we must admit an Enallage of the Present Tense for the Future , 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 ; and not onely so , but also limit the Sense of it to the Future ( for which I see no reason at all . ) For take Eternal Life as it signifieth the happy State of Souls after the Resurrection , in the Beatifical Vision of God ; so no one alive hath Eternal Life . Eternal Life therefore in the first place signifieth , That special Effectual Grace of God , which will certainly bring the Soul to Eternal Life . That which he before called the Seed of God abiding in the Soul . And that will bring in a Question ( to which I may possibly speak something by and by ) Whether an Elect Soul , that is called and sanctified , may not fall into this Sin ?

2. But 2dly . Eternal Life is also considerable in the full Harvest , as it signifieth the Blessed Estate of the Soul in the Beatifical Vision of God ; and so it is true no Murtherer , none that dieth under the Actual Guilt of Murther , not repented of , not removed from him , shall see God ; and to this purpose is that , Rev. 21. 8. where Murtherers are reckoned amongst those who shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone , which is the Second Death ; and that brings in a Second Question , Whether a Murtherer cannot be saved ? But before I can speak any thing to these , it is reasonable , I should speak something to a more Origiinal Question , with reference to this Sin .

Case . Whether it be not lawful for a Person in any Case to Kill him or her self ?

It is plain from the reading of Prophaner History , that diverse of the Heathens , yea some of their Philosophers , did not think it unlawful for Men and Women to kill themselves , but thought it in some Cases their Duty . In Case of their Countrey , or Friends , under great Disturbances of Mind or Pressures of Bodily Afflictions , &c. but even amongst them there were a wiser , and so understanding part , who from their Light of Reason saw better things ; for even they would sometimes dispute , That it was no Indication of Valour or Fortitude , but of a base , and impotent and cowardly Mind , that durst not encounte with a little pain or trouble ; and that we were set in this World by our great Commander , the Lord of all , as Souldiers in a Rank and File , which we must not break out of , but by order and direction from him ; and that it was an injury to the Kingdom or Common-wealth wherein we lived , and such like . But we have surer Rule to guid us by ; to wit , the holy Scriptures . And the Unlawfulness of it upon any pretence whatsoever , is determined by all Divines , both Ancient and Modern , that are of any value ; and that for these Reasons :

1. Because the Law of God is express , Thou shalt do no Murther , and that Precept is not to be limited to the Murthering of others ; for the Law of God doth not say , Thou shalt not kill thy Neighhour : but , Thou shalt not kill : it must indeed be restrained to Men and Women , for God hath given us a Liberty , as to Beasts to Kill and Eat , nor is the Law concerning Brute and Irrational Creatures , but such as are Rational , and that without distinction ; Now he that killeth himself doth kill : Again , the Law in the General Scope of it , commandeth Charity ; now we ought in the first place to be Charitable to our selves ; Murther , say Casuists , is the Killing of a Man without Authority . Now this he doth , who killeth himself , for none is superior to himself , none hath Authority over himself .

2. Again ( saith Jiliucius one of the Popish Casuists ( who yet though many of them give strange liberty to Men to kill others , yet few or none give Men liberty to kill themselves . ) To kill a Person can be lawful but in two Causes : 1. For our own Defence , so a Person may kill one assaulting him , breaking into his House , &c. Or , 2. For Execution of Righteous Sentence of Justice . But none can kill himself in his own Defence , nor be a Magistrate to himself , to Judge , Sentence , or Condemn himself ; so that say they it can be lawful in no Case for Men to put an end to their own Lives .

3. Again , They argue truly from a particular Enumeration of the supposed Justificant Causes that should justifie such a Fact , shewing the Invalidity of them . We read of one of the Heathens , who having got a dark Notion of an Eternal State , would put an end to his Life , that he might the sooner be in possession of it . But this is not the way to Eternal Life . St. John saith , No Murtherer hath Eternal Life . Eternal Life is the gift of God , and he gives it according to his Revealed Will , and his Revealed Will is , Rev. 21. 8. That Murtherers should have their Portion in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone , and this is the Second Death . A Second Cause ( which the Heathen assigned as ) justificant of Self-Murther , was , To avoid the Violence of others ; suppose Persecutors or Mutherers . But this cannot justifie , For what harm can the injuries or violence of others do us ? Saith Augustine . A Third Cause some assign , or pretend , is , To avoid Sin for the time to come . To prevent their further dishonouring of God . But this were to do evil , that good might come of it ; and to prejudge our selves , and deny Gods Mercy to Back-sliders . A Fourth Cause assigned , is , To take revenge upon our selves for past Sins . But who made us Judges and Revengers in the Case ? And surely past Sins are better washed by the Blood of Christ , and the Water of true Repentance . The last and indeed most general and true Cause , is , To avoid Shame and Ignominy , to deliver our selves from horrors and terrors of Conscience , or other miseries . But the very Heathen condemned this , as the Indication of an Impotent Cowardly Spirit , of an hasty and impatient Spirit : Where is the Faith and Patience of Christians , if this were lawful ? But I shall have occasion in the sequel of this Discourse further to shew the exceeding vanity of these Pretences for the justification of so horrid a Fact .

4. Again , It is a Sin against the Light and Law of Nature . No man yet ever hated his own Flesh . Nature it self , not debaucht nor disordered , saith to every one Spare thy Self . There cannot be a greater Violence offered to our Nature surely , than to destroy it . To shut up this Discourse ( there being few that stand in need of this Conviction , who are in an ordinary way capable of it . ) Dr. Ames a Learned Casuist of our own , concludes it a Sin against Nature , Piety , Justice , Charity . Of the first I have spoken . It appeareth to be against Piety , as being against the Authority of God , who alone hath Life and Death in his Hand , and hath the Power of our Lives . 2. Against the Goodness of God , from Him , and of his Goodness we live , and the upholding our Souls in Life , ought to be acknowledged to God as a great Piece of the Divine Goodness and Mercy to us . 3. Against the Providence of God in the Government of the World , disturbing that Order which he hath set . A Sin against Justice ; which will not allow any person to rob or spoil the Kingdom or Common-wealth in which he is a Member , at his pleasure . Against Charity ( saith he ) which ought to begin at our selves , and by which we are first obliged to preserve our own lives ; and then the lives of others . From these and such like Arguments , Divines do reasonably conclude , That Self-murther is in all Cases Sinful , in no Case Lawful , nor by any Pretence Excusable .

The next question is , 2. Qu. Whether it be to that degree sinful , as that no Soul that hath received the Grace of God , can commit it ? And 3. Qu. Whether no Soul that doth commit it , can have Eternal Life , can be saved ? Both these seem to make up the Apostle John's Sense , when he saith , We know that no Murtherer hath Eternal Life . I will speak to them both together in some few Conclusions .

1. Con. It is very hard to say , What Sin , one that belongeth to the Election of Grace , yea one who is called with an holy Calling , and in a State of Grace ; and who shall certainly be saved , may not commit . You know into what Sins , Lot , Noah , David and Peter , fell in an hour of very high and great Temptation .

2. Con. In particular , Such a person may be the actual Murtherer of another : David was so . I mean by Actual , not that he immediately committed it , but as it is contra-distinguished to murtherous habits in the Heart ; in the Sense that St. John saith , He who hateth his Brother is a Murtherer . This is plain in the Case of David .

3. Con. Such a Murtherer cannot have the Seed of God ( at that time ) working and abiding in him , nor upon such a fact , have a proximate Right to Eternal Life . This is plain , for Murthers are no fruits of the Spirit but of the Flesh ; Gal. 5. 21. And no person under the guilt of Sin , before Repentance and the renewed exercise of Faith , can either have any Sight of his Grace , or any Proximate Right to Eternal Life .

4. Con. It is possible , That such a great Sinner , as the Murthererer of another , may be renewed by Repentance and Faith , and so may obtain Everlasting Life . This appeareth both by the Promise , and also by those Presidents of Free Grace which the Holy Scrtptures do furnish us with , that we may have Consolation : For the Promise it is made to all Sin and Blasphemy ; Matth. 12. 31. David was a Murtherer , so was Manasses , &c.

5. It is possible , That a man may be in a Justified and Sanctified Estate , and may put an end to his own Life , and yet not be a Self-murtherer : That is , now supposing him distracted , and in a fit of Frenzy , not understanding what he doth : This man is now not to be judged a Murtherer of himself , his Act is not a Rational Humane Act ; and doubtless shall not be imputed to him . This may happen in high Feavors , &c. But

6. Supposing a Sanctified Person to be in the use of his Reason , ( though not perfectly ) in a great measure able to guid his actions by the conduct of it ; he cannot do any such action : The Grace of God working or stiring in him . Nor obtain Eternal Life , without Repentance of it ; for which he can have but very little time , if any at all . And this I take to be the Apostle's Sense , when he saith , That no Murtherer hath Eternal Life abiding in him . 1. He hath no true Grace working or acting in him . 2. In that State of Guilt , without true Repentance ( for which he hath little or no time ) he dying , cannot be saved . 3. He can have no proximate Right to Eternal Life . I shall add further , That I find no great difficulty to determine , That a person in the use of his Reason , killing himself out-right and presently , cannot be saved . Men may offer such violence to themselves , as they may not presently die by the Act they have done in order to it ; so as they may have time to repent and be received to Mercy ( that made me put in the word [ outright , forthwith ] and there is no Sin that is upon a True Repentance unpardonable . They may do it in a Deliration or Distraction , when they are not under the guidance and conduct of their Reason , and then it is not an Humane Act. But supposing their Act to be an Humane , Rational Act , and so effectually done , as it leaveth no breathing time for Repentance ; I cannot see a possibility of Salvation in such a Case . I can easily agree it , that every one who killeth himself , doth not murther himself . Possibly a man does an Action , or makes some Omission , by the doing or the omitting of which he dies ; but he never designed , never intended it ; but possibly hoped for a quite contrary effect , of such Action or Omission . Such a one may be said to have killed himself , but not to have murthered himself . Nay although a person had no such intention contrary , but by his mistake , what he designed for good to himself , issueth in such an effect ; yet he may be no Self-murtherer : because not under the perfect guidance of his Reason . Suppose a Child , or a Fool and Natural Ideot , which neither of them are guided by their Reason , should do such Acts , I think they oughe not to be concluded Murtherers . The Case is the same of Frenetick and Distracted Persons . Suppose in a Violent Feavour or a Frenzy , occasioned some other way , a person should destroy him or her self ; I would be very tender of concluding such a person under this guilt . The difficultest Case seemeth to me to be in the Case of that partial Deliration which we see often caused from Melancholy ; and is commonly attended with violent impulses from Satan . The Question is , Supposing persons under these circumstances do destroy themselves , what is to be determined concerning their Everlasting State ? If they offer such violence to themselves , as doth not produce death presently , but gives them a time for Repentance , the Determination will be best founded upon our sight of their Behaviour , upon the reprieve which the Providence of God giveth them : Whether they heartily repent of such attempts , and be serious in asking pardon at Gods hands , yea or no. If the attempt hath such a speedy issue in Death , as leaves no room or place for this . That which is to be considered , is , How they before were , in what possession of Reason , under what violence of Impulses ; which may induce us to believe the action not deliberate and voluntary . And truly where such an unhappy issue shutteth up a precedent Holy Life , spent in a fear and dread of God , an hatred of Sin , a desire to walk in the Commandments of God , and that for some good space of time ; I should be apt to judg very charitably : That is , that the persons final act of Self-killing was not his or her Act ; but the Effect of Melancholy to a great heighth ( as a Natural Disease ) working in him : or of Satan , by his violent Impressions and Importunities ; but using his or her Natural Members or Powers , for the Production of so direful and sad an Effect . It is true , the judgment is very hard , because in such Cases we cannot determine ; especially in Fits , to what degree the person is deprived of the use of his or her Reason ; and acteth but like a brute Creature . And this makes such issues , whatever they prove to the persons concerned immediately ; yet to their Friends very uncomfortable . So as although they do not mourn for them wholly without hope . Yet of all Mourners for Relations , they mourn with the least hope , and are hardest to be comforted . But this is all I shall speak to this Doctrinally . What I principally intended in this Discourse , will fall into the Application .

CHAP. II.

The former Discourse applied by way of Praemonition to all , not rashly to judge persons that kill themselves , as to their Spiritual or their Eternal State . Why persons should not so rashly judge . What is very sad and uncomfortable in the Case of such as kill themselves . What may be hoped as to them . The Judgment of them best made from the General course of their former Life .

1. Con. FRom hence in the first place will easily be concluded our Duty , not to be too hasty in judging the Spiritual or Eternal State of any , or at least of many , who have killed themselves . It is indeed a most sad and miserable Spectacle , or hearing ; and which may occasion in us trouble , fear , and trembling : but yet Secret Things belong unto God , Revealed Things to us and to our Children . It is a Sad Reflexion , that we have no Instances in Scripture of any good Men , whom God suffered thus to fall . I count that Instance of Samson none : He was but in his Calling , he was eminently called of God to adventure his Life for the Israelites , in being revenged on the Philistines . It was the whole Business of his Life , who will call a Soldier a Self-murtherer , who in defence of his Countrey exposeth himself ( not indeed to a certainty of Death , but ) to an eminent probability : Nor was there an absolute certainty of Samsons Death , the Providence of God might have ordered Timbers so , that he might have survived ( as we know hath been in Blowing up of Houses ) but Samson plainly shewed by his words spake immediately before , that his end was not the delivery of himself out of Misery , but being avenged on the Philistines ; which was the business of his Life , to which he was called of God . Besides that , had he not had an extraordinary Assistance of Divine Power , his hands had never pulled down the House ; which testified Gods Approbation of the Fact . But for any other , we have not so much as an appearance of any good Men that were the Authors of their own Destruction voluntarily ; but on the other side , it being certain , or at least very probable , that no good man , mentis compos , in the free exercise of his Reason , can do it , it is unreasonable for us to think that in that Age of the World , there were none who through some Diseases , Feavors , or Melancholy , were Distracted , and lost the use and exercise of their Reason ; nor is it reasonable to think that the way and manner of the deaths of persons not dying in the use of their Reason , should be Recorded in Holy Writ . It is indeed a sad and uncomfortable Death , both to those that are Near Relations , and to those that are Neighbours and Spectators afar off ; but in regard that it is possible the Act was an irrational Act , done by one , who when he or she did it , were not in the possession of their Reason , so as to exercise and use it . I would have no judgment passed upon the Eternal State of such person Souls ; and indeed the best judgment that can be past by any in the Case , must be from our Reflections upon the former course of their Lives . If Men or Women have formerly so led their Lives , as we could not but judg that they lived in the Fear of God , hating all Sin , walking with God closely in the Performance of Duty ; it will be hard for us to judge that God should leave them so far in their last hour , that they should commit a Sin in which they should die , without any place for , or possibility of Repentance . The truth is no such fact can be done , but either by a profane person , or by one who hath been an Hypocrite ; who , though he hath mocked God , and deceived Men by a Profession , yet the root of the matter hath not been in him . When therefore we see any , who to all appearance hath lived in the Fear and Dread of God , come to such a sad end , it is most charitable to judge that he or she was not themselves when they did it .

2. Br. But ( which indeed is the main thing I intended , and to which my Discourse hitherto on this Argument hath been but prefatory . ) The terror of that Text , No Murtherer hath Eternal Life , ought to lay a Law upon every one of us to use all imaginable means both to prevent and to resist so great a Temptation . Now in the handling of this Temptation or Motion to so great an Evil , we will consider it ,

1. In the Efficient Causes . Where we will consider what may be done to find out the Principal Efficient Cause in this Temptation .

2. In the seeming or appearing good , which is usually by the Tempter made as a Bait to draw a Soul into this deadly Snare .

3. We will consider , What is the most probable Means to be used either for the preventing Temptations of this Nature , or for the repelling of them , if the Soul be already under the forcible Impressions of them .

CHAP. III.

What Care we had need to take , for the prevention and resisting of Temptations to Self-Murther . From what Efficient Causes such Temptations may be our Lusts : The World , the Devil ; these sometimes acting jointly . What Lusts ordinarily incline us to it . How to know if the Temptation be from a single or a mixt Cause , and from what Cause it is .

YOu have heard from my former Discourse , That Temptations are Motions to Sin , and that all such Motions proceed either from our own Lusts , or from the World , or from our grand Adversary the Devil ; and that these three Principal Causes , sometimes act singly , sometimes jointly ; and it is a matter of no small moment , for a Christian under the power of a Temptation , rightly to understand , from what hand his Temptation comes ; Whether it be meerly the Dictate of his own Lust , or whether it comes from Men in the World , or whether it comes from the Devil ? From one of these Cases singly , or from two of them acting together joyntly ; and so the Temptation be a mixed Temptation . Nor do I think it will be very difficult to a diligent observing Christian to make a true judgment in the Case . For the Men of the World , as Temptations of this Nature are not very ordinary from them , we shall ( in these days of Light ) seldom or never hear Reasonable Persons , serious and in earnest one with another , perswading them to destroy themselves : So they can make no such Motions to us , but will be obvious to our Sense . Job heard his Wife , when she said unto him , Curse God and die ; Job . 2. 9. It is true , the Men of the World , may by vexing and tormenting us , be to us indirect Causes of such a Temptation ; but that signifieth nothing , the principal Efficiency in those Temptations , must be from our own Lusts . So that the onely difficulty of Judgment in these Causes , will be to determine , Whether such Motions or Impressions flow meerly from our Lusts , or meerly from Satan , or partly from our Lusts , and partly from the Devil .

1. I am not difficult to believe that a Man or Woman may be Tempted to destroy him , or her self , meerly from his or her own Lust , drawn away and enticed . I believe Saul was so , and Ahithophel was so . Saul saw he was like to come into his Enemies hand , and his Lust of Impatience prevailed upon him , to prevent it by a Self-Murther . Ahithophel had a Lust of Ambition , and was not patient of the shame of being out-witted , and defeated as to his Honour and Reputation : And this I take to be the Case of Zimri ; 1 Kings 16. 18. Now the Original Lust which draws in these Cases , is , An over eager desire of a greater portion of those which we count good things in this Life , then it will please God in the Wisdom of his Providence to allot us : Whether they be Honour and Applause , Riches or a Plentiful Estate , Ease or Personal Freedem from Misery and Torment , &c. This prevailing in the Soul , when it seeth it is crost in these desires , or is like to be crossed as to them ; the Man or Woman , either through fear of what is like to befall him or her , or in an heighth of discentent and impatience for what hath befallen them ; destroyeth him or her self . But now this cannot be in any Souls but such as are possessed of Atheistical Principles , and rooted in a disbelief of the Scriptures and the whole Revealed Will of God ( if at the time they be in the exercise of their Reason . ) The Reason is this : Because if they believe that there is a God , and that the holy Scriptures are the Word of God ; which say , No Murtherer hath Eternal Life ; they must believe , that by that Act of Self-Murther , they expose themselves to Ten thousand times greater Evils of Shame , Misery , and Torment , and that for ever ; than they can possibly avoid by it . So as from hence is evident , that no Child of God , no Believer , none that hath any thing of the Grace of God in him , being in the use of his Reason , can possibly be led away by his own Lust and enticed to this Sin . Where this Temptation prevaileth and is the meer effect of Lust , it must be in an Atheistical Heathenish Soul , wholly under the Ignorance or Unbelief of the holy Scriptures , and what they Reveal concerning this Sin , and concerning Eternal Life : Such were the Heathens ; such was Ahithophel ; Saul , Zimri , Judas , &c. As to such , the Lusts of our Irascible Appetite ( as the Philosopher speaks ) may be oft times Temptations .

2. But Secondly , These Temptations or Motions to Sin , may , and doubtless very often do proceed from Satan singly . Nature doth not so ordinarily say Kill thy self , as spare thy self , and truly when we consider , how Nature abhorreth its own dissolution , how naturally we flee from every evil and unpleasant thing , we may reasonably wonder , that ever any Man should from his own Lusts be moved and solicited to destroy himself : and no question but Nature must be in some disorder , and there must be a great conquest over it before it can be . It must be a great Good shewed us that must ballance the Good of Life ; and a great Evil , that must ballance the Evil of a Dissolution . But certainly these Motions are very ordinary from the Devil , he was a Murtherer from the beginning ; John . 8. 44. Now where this Temptation floweth singly from the Devil , it is easily discerned , whether he appeareth in any visible Shape , and dissembleth an humane voice , or worketh by a more secret Impression upon our Spirits ; for if it floweth singly from him , the s●l● effect of it is Horror , Terror , and Trouble , to the Soul that is disturbed with it . The Soul admits it into no Council , takes no Pleasure in the Thoughts of it ; deliberateth not upon it , suffereth it not to lodge within it for a Night : saith , Get thee behind me Satan ; and though it may be the Impression reneweth upon it again and again , yet still it meeteth with no better Entertainment : if once the Soul hath deliberated upon it , had Thoughts to hearken to it , been pleased with it ; it is no longer a Single Temptation .

3. But indeed ordinarily Temptations of this Nature are mixed Temptations ; with this difference ,

1. Sometimes Lust moveth first , and Satan falleth in with the Motions of that . Sometimes the Lust of Discontent , sometimes a Lust of Impatience .

Men or Women are proud , and of high Spirits , aiming at high things , To be before , and to excel others , to live at a geeat Rate , or in great degrees of Honour and Applause ; it may be they have lived so formerly , it hath pleased the Providence of God to humble them and bring them low , and out of esteem ; to Spoil their Reputation , lay their Henour in the Dust , devest them of their Estates : they are not able to bear it , and entertain thoughts of putting an end to their Lives . You shall find Temptations of this Nature so far influencing the Servants of God , that although indeed they have not adventured upon such wickedness , yet they have prayed to God to take away their Lives . Thus Jonah , to avoid the obloquy of a false Prophet , Jonah . 4. 3. Therefore now , O Lord , take I beseech thee , my Life from me ; for it is better for me to die then to live . 2. Sometimes a Lust of Impatience under present afflictions prevaileth upon them , hence under great degrees of pains and misery , we shall find some pressed with such sinful thoughts : and this again hath so far prevailed with Gods own Servants , that although we do not read that in the sense of them they had thoughts to kill themselves , yet we do find that they have prayed God to put an end to their Lives ; you have two great instances in Scripture , that of Job , who Chap. 3. Cursed the day of his Birth , and Job 6. 8 , 9. Oh that I might have my Request ! and that God would grant me the thing that I long for ! even that it would please God to destroy me , that he would let loose his Hand and cut me off . So Elijah , &c.

3. Sometimes the Lust of Servile slavish fear , when men and women have a Prospect of some great Evils that are like to come upon them , and are not able to bear the thoughts of them , nor to live in the view of them . In this case we shall find Temptations also have prevailed upon Gods own People to desire Death , though not to be the instruments of their own Death . This was the Case of Elijah , 1 Kings 19. 4. Jezebel sending a message to him , had sworn by her Gods that by the next day she would kill Elijah , as he had done by Baals Priests . v. 3. v. 4. he goes into the Wilderness , he goeth into the Wilderness and sits under a Juniper Tree , and requesteth for himself that he might die ; and saith , It is enough now , O Lord , take away my life ; for I am not better than my Fathers . Now where any of these Lusts predominate at any time , the Devil doth very ordinarily join his strength with it , and makes frequent and violent impressions upon the Spirits of Christians ; putting them upon the murthering of themselves ; and where he meets with men or women that are ignorant or of base Atheistical hearts , who do not believe there is a God , or that there is such a thing as Eternity , either an Heaven or Hell , a place of Eternal happiness , or Eternal torment or misery , or an Immortal State of a Soul ; it is not at all to be wondered that he doth very often prevail . For if they can but look upon death coming upon them any way as a freedom from misery and the grave , as a place where the wicked cease from troubling , where the weary be at rest , where the prisoners rest together , and hear not the voice of the oppressor ; it is but natural to them to cry out , Wherefore is Light given unto him that is in Misery , and Life to the bitter in Soul , which long for death but it cometh not ; and dig for it as for hid Treasures ; and rejoyce exceedingly , and are glad when they can find the Grave . But now it being impossible that a Believer that knoweth the Scriptures and believeth them , and agreeth to the Immortality of the Soul and the torments of Hell , the truth of the Worm never dying , and the Fire that never goeth out , and that all Murderers shall have their portion in the Lake where this Worm this Fire is ; should ever look upon Death and the Grave in this dull notion . Satan can never prevail with him . So that no such Soul , while he is possessed of any Liberty to use his Reason , and to conclude from Principles , can possibly be prevailed upon .

2. Sometimes it may be , The Motion may be first from the Devil , who seeing a Man or Woman , in great pain or misery , or in great fears and expectations of misery , may come to it and say ( as Job's Wife said to him ) Doest thou still retain thy Integrity ? Curse God and die . I mean make some such Impressions upon a Man or Womans Spirit . This possibly Men and Women at first discern and receive with great abhorrence , cry , Get thee behind me Satan ; tell their Friends and Neighbours of it , beg of them to pray to God for them ; but the Devil reneweth his Motions and Impressions with great frequency , violence , and importunity , until at length their own Lusts incline them to hearken ; either their over-eager desire to be out of their fears or out of their pain ; and at some more rest and quiet than they can possible arrive at and come to : so as they yield .

CHAP. IV.

By what Seeming Good the Soul tempted to Self-Murther , may be drawn away and inticed . What good greater than Life . Eternal Life a greater good . This can bait no Believer to such an Act why . Immunity from some great Evil felt , or imminent , the onely appearing Good in the Case . A Case arising from a Souls being possest of the Doctrine of Election . Whether that can give this Temptation advantage ? It is denied .

BUt it may possibly be worthy of our Inquiry , What can be a Bait fitting for such a Trap ? He who is tempted ( saith the Apostle ) is drawn away by his own lust and enticed : No Man is enticed , but by some appearing Good . None can be drawn away from a Good , nor enticed out of the possession of it , but upon the view of a greater Good , possible or probable to be obtained by parting with that which is lesser . Now Life being in the Eye of Nature the greatest Good , Skin for Skin ( saith the Devil ) and all a man hath , for his Life . One would think the Devil could not shew a Man or Woman any thing , for the obtaining of which he should deliberately and voluntarily part with his Life .

To this I Answer two things ,

1 , Though Natural Life , in Pleasing Circumstances , be the greatest Natural Good ; yet Life Eternal is a more Excellent Good . So that if it be possible that a man should be cheated by his own heart , or by the Devil , so as to believe that the dispossession of himself of his Natural Life , shall bring him into the possession of an Eternal Life ; he may upon that account be rationally perswaded to determine his own Life . Thus the Devil imposed upon some of the Heathens ; who had by the Light of Nature but a dim Prospect of that Life and Immortality which the Apostle telleth us is brought to Light by the Gospel : Dreaming that an happy State of the Soul in another Life , was the common portion of all men , or at least of all that lived up in any degree to the Rules of Moral Vertue ; and not understanding , that the Wages of Sin was Death , nor the right way to Eternal Life ; nor that of the Apostle , That no Murtherer hath Eternal Life abiding for him , no more than abiding in him ; they might easily be so cheated : as Cleombrotus and others . But it is not possible that a Believer ( one I mean , who believeth the Scriptures ) should be thus enticed : for by Faith he knows , That the Law is , Thou shalt do no Murther , That no Murtherer hath Eternal Life . That the Murtherer is one of those Sinners that have their portion in the Second Death : Rev. 21. 8. and therefore not in the Second Life .

2. Secondly , Though Natural Life , in pleasing Circumstances , may be the greatest Natural Good ; yet this Natural Life , as to particular persons , may be so ill circumstanced , that a present freedom from some Evil , may to a Natural Eye appear a much greater Good ; in comparison of which even Life it self may be an Evil undesirable and abhorred . Life is much rated by the happy or less happy Circumstances of it . Even Nature it self would not desire a Life of Continual and Extream pain . And indeed , This Ease and Immunity from Evils , which either at present oppress us , or hang over our heads , so that we have , or think we have them in a certain Prospect , not probable to be avoided , is the onely appearing good that can entice us to determine our own Lives . For Death depriving us of all Positive Sensible Good Things , such as Riches , Pleasures , Profits , Honours , Relations , all kind of Sensual Satisfactions . And this Death being no way or means , and such a thing as cannot possibly appear to any but Heathens and Infidels , as any means to bring us to any Eternal Good ; there remaineth nothing of any umbrage or Colour of Good in it , by which it is possible we should be cheated , but onely a Supersedeas from , or Determination of those Evils , which we either think we have in a near and certain Prospect hardly avoidable , or under the pressure of which we groan , being burthened , and seek a Release from . And if ( as I shall have occasion enough hereafter to shew you ) Death thus brought upon our selves by our own hands , will not be a productive of this Effect , but so far as we can possibly judge , bring us into a far deeper Gulf of Misery than what we are already in ; and make our Case a thousand times more sad than it is already : We must conclude it is onely an Appearence of Good by which we are cheated .

Obj. But I hear some say , upon the Hypothesis of some , That there is an Election of Grace , and that those who are chosen unto Eternal Life , cannot perish ; why may not Men and Women destroy themselves , that they may be in Heaven : for if they be Elected , they shall he Saved . And if they be not Elected , let them live as long as they can , they shall be damned .

Sol. This may be ignorantly spoken , by such as know not the Scriptures , nor what they , who assert from the Scriptures the Doctrine of Election , do maintain : but it cannot be said by any understanding persons , who knoweth any thing of the Mind and Will of God in the Scriptures , or what they reveal as to the Doctrine of Election .

1. For I beseech you to consider , 1. That nothing can be a Temptation to any , to deprive himself of the greatest natural good , but an apprehension of a certain enjoyment , of a greater good ; though it be granted that Eternal Life be certainly a greater good than a Natural Life , yet if I do not apprehend , that by departing out of this present Life , I shall certainly be put into the possession of that better Life ; and by no other way so adequate I shall never be perswaded upon that Speculation , to part with this Life ; for good as good doth not move our appetite , but as so apprehended by us .

2. Secondly that it is impossible , that any one should apprehend , that by depriving himself of his Natural Life , he should be possessed of an Eternal Life ; for I pray observe me ; such an apprehension must be bottomed upon one of these things , 1. Either that Eternal Life shall be the common Portion of all Men after this Life , which indeed might be the apprehension of some Heathens , but cannot possibly be fancied by any Intelligent Christian ; for besides that , the Notices we have of a State of Eternal Happiness are very Imperfect , besides such as we have from the Gospel , which the Apostle saith have brought Life and Immortality to Light . I say besides this , the Scriptures plainly reveals , that there is an Hell as well as an Heaven , a State of Misery as well as Happiness ; that some shall rise to Shame and Contempt , as others to Life and Glory . 2. Or else Secondly , It must be founded upon this . That they know that they are elected unto Life : For I appeal to the Reason of any person . Suppose that I know and am assured , that God hath chosen some from before the Foundation of the World , to whom he will give Eternal Life ; and admit again that I am equally assured that no person so chosen of God unto Eternal Life , can Eternally Perish ; yet what pretence is here for me , unless I have also an assurance or perswasion , that I am one of those whom God hath from Eternity so chosen , and therefore cannot perish ; to throw away the greatest temporal good I have ( viz. my Life ) to obtain that greater supernatural good of Life Eternal ; whilest I am in the certain possession of the former , and have no assurance of the latter . Now it is impossible , that any one , that hath deliberations in his heart to commit so great an Evil , and so ripened as to resolve to do it ; should have any Assurance , or any certain apprehensions , that he is one of the Elect of God , or that he was ever born of God : The Reason is this , because all such Assurance must be from the Word of God , and the Spirit of God ; setting home the Word of God upon the Soul , and conforming the Soul to the Image of God . Now the Word of God saith , No Murtherer hath Eternal Life , it saith Murtherers shall have their Portion in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone ; which is the second Death . So far is it from saying that any persons , that deliberate , and do such things , are the Elect of God , and shall certainly have Everlasting Life : So as the Notion of Election and its certainty , and of Effectual Grace , and its abiding in the Soul , cannot possibly give any reasonable advantage to this Temptation ; proposing to the Soul that deliberateth , and is about to do any such thing , any such Supereminent Good as Eternal Life , to be obtained , by parting with this Life , without any direction from God , who is the Lord of it : Nay it rather giveth the greatest discouragement imaginable , by threatning Eternal Death to those who do such things ; and barring the Gates of Heaven against them .

3. Nay , Thirdly , admitting that Proposition to be true . That if a Man be Elected , he shall certainly be Saved ; let him die when , and how he will : and if he be not elected , he shall certainly Perish : Yet neither can this give the least incouragement to so vile an Act , for so long as his heart is full of so great a Wickedness , he can have no grounded Apprehension , that he is elected ; and so cannot be allured to the Action , by the apprehension of enjoying Eternal Life ; which is a far greater good than the life he parteth with . So neither can any be certain that he is not chosen unto Life , and if he could be certain of that , yet no mans reason can dictate to him , that infinite Torments and Misery are a lesser Evil than any of the Evils of this Life ; which in obedience to this Temptation , he would flee from , by putting a period to his days : Or that it is eligible for him to throw himself into those Torments before the time . So that it is impossible , That the Notions of Election and Pretension , or the certain Determination of Man , as to his Eternal Estate , should give the least aid , and assistance unto this Temptation . But the onely appearing good that can entice any to hearken to a Temptation of this Nature , must be a freedom from some present Evil , or some imminent Evil.

CHAP. V.

What is to be done by Christians , to prevent such Impressions . The First Direction , To take heed to our selves , as to the prevailings of Melancholly . What means to be used in order thereto . Natural to be directed by Physicians . The Reasonableness of the use of them in this Case Moral . Avoiding terrible Objects to our Senses . Solitude . Employing and diverting our selves . Gods Practice with Elijah . Religious Means , Reading the Word , Hearing , Prayer , the Efficacy of these Means in order to this end .

I come now to what in this Discourse I did chiefly intend : viz. To shew what is to be done in the Case of this Temptation ; either for the Preventing these Impressions : Or , Secondly , for the Resisting of them , if we find they be come to Temptations . I will discourse a little largely upon the First Head , for as we say , Preventing Physick is the Best Physick . It doth at least save the Patient a great deal of Pain and Trouble . And what we say in another Case , Turpius ejicitur quam non admittitur hospes . It is not so easie to cast an Enemy out , who hath once got possession , as to keep him out at first from such possession ; it is true here . And here also I shall speak to all . It is possible but one of many that is fallen under the burden of this Temptation ; but there is none of us all , but for ought we know , may come under this Burthen , which others have found too heavy for them to bear . The Question therefore is ,

Qu. What a Christian should do , that he may never be under this great affliction ; that he may never be tempted to this great Evil of Destroying himself by his own Hands ? A thing which it may be you startle at and are now ready to say , as Hazael in another Case , Am I a dead Dog , that I should do such things . Yet it may so fall out , that as Hazael did , what he professed so great an abhorrence of ; so you may do , or entertain thoughts to do , what now your thoughts seem to you at furthest distance ; even as to this horrid Temptation . He that yet standeth , had need take heed lest he falleth . Nor will I promise you to give you so perfect Directions , as the Practice of them shall give you an infallible Security . It is impossible to tell you how far the Wisdom of God , may , or may not , think fit to try any of you ; and in order to it , to let loose Satan against you : Nor how far Lust and Corruption may prevail in any of you . I shall onely advise the most probable means .

1. In the first place , Take heed as to your Bodily Health , with respect to Melancholy : Experience telleth us , That few Religious Souls are infested with these Impressions , but such as are cloistered in Melancholick Bodies . Melancholy prevailing , darkens our Reason , that we are not able to make true Conclusions from Gospel Principles ; and the same Experience also tells us , That there are few , even Religious Persons , that fall into great Prevailings of Melancholy , if it abideth long upon them , but they have some or more Impressions of this Nature , although indeed , in some they be weaker , in others they be stronger . Some have them more often repeated , others more seldom . This therefore is highly to be attended by every good Christian , who dreadeth the thoughts of so dark an hour of Temptation as this is . For although ( as I told you in the former part of my Discourse ) I do believe every Child of God hath the Seed of God so far abideing in him , as he shall never murther himself ; yet the prevailings of this Distemper may so far distract him ( for ought I know ) that he may kill himself , as well as one in another Distraction , by a Feavour , or the like , which taketh away the use of his Reason . And this is very sad and uncomfortable . Besides , if it should not rise so high , yet the best of Christians may have a long trouble and disquietude given him from such motions and solicitations , though finally they do not so far prevail against him . If you therefore love your Souls , the peace , quiet ; and comfort of them ; if you would avoid the trouble and disturbance of these Temptations and Impressions , Take heed of the prevailings of this Humour . You will say to me , What can we do in this Case ? I answer , There are Natural and Moral , or Civil , and Religious Means to be used , do not neglect them .

1. The Natural Means are such Medicines or Prescriptions as Learned Physicians ( who are doubtless Gods Ordinance in this Case ) shall judge fit to direct and prescribe . I have not without a great deal of trouble sometimes observed the stubbornness of some ( in other things ) intelligent Christians , as to this particular . O ( they will tell you ) Physicians can do them no good ; God must cure , God must heal them : and who denieth but that , It is God must heal them ? But it is every whit as rational , to say you will eat no Meat , or drink no Drink ; it is God that must maintain your Souls in life ; as to say , when you are under greater and more dangerous Bodily Distempers , you will take no Physick , use no Means , because it is God must heal you . Because God must heal us , must he therefore work a Miracle in doing it for us ? Or doth not God do it ordinarily by his Concurrence with Natural Means , in which he hath created a Natural Vertue , in order to that End . It is true sometimes Physicians prove of no value in the Case ; but it is as true that very often God doth concur with , and bless Natural Means ; and I have often known , that the use of Natural Means , in the beginning especially of these Distempers , where also this Temptation hath commenced with this Bodily Distemper , hath both removed the Distemper and the Temptation also . God will not please always to work certainly and infallibly with Means , that we may know that our Healings are from him .

There are besides these , Moral and Rational Means to be used ; which though they do not as the other , purge out the peccant humour , yet hinder the Increase and Effects of it . Let me name some of them :

1. Take heed about imploying your Senses about terrible Objects ; either seeing Objects that are apt to affright and terrifie , or hearing Relations or Discourses of that Nature , or Reading Books upon Subjects apt to affright and terrifie . When Men and Women are under this Distemper , Objects very ordinarily make very deep Impressions upon our Fancy ; and as we ought at all times to avoid Objects that may feed our thoughts inclinable to the obedience of other Lusts , so under this Distemper we are equally concerned to divert our Senses from any Objects which may feed our Imaginations , with what may cause excessive and immoderate fears and terrors in us . Upon the same reason , that persons who find in their hearts dispositions to Levity and Wantonness , and the Lusts of the Flesh , ought with Job to make a Covenant with their Eyes , that they will not look upon Objects , that may minister Fuel to their Lusts : Yea , and with their Ears too , that they will not hear any Discourses of that Tendency : The Melancholick Person , being naturally inclined to an excess of Fear and Sorrow , ought to make a Covenant with his or her Exteriour Senses , that they will not fetch in , or receive any Objects that have an aptitude , or fitness in them , to increase Fears and Excessive Sorrow and Sadness , &c.

2. Take heed of Solitude , and delighting too much to be alone . It is usually said that every one who is alone ( much alone ) proves either a God or a Devil to himself . There is nothing of more advantage to a Man or Woman , if they be in health and under no disturbances of Mind and Spirit , than to be alone : It was wont to be said by a great Roman , That he was never less alone , then when he was alone . A Good Christian in clear Circumstances , is never more with God then when he is alone , nor doth ordinarily ever enjoy more of God . But the case is quite contrary if one be under the prevailings of this Distemper , He is never more exposed to Temptations , he is never mote baited by the Devil then when he is alone : Solitude is by no means advisable in an hour of Temptation : I observe , Matth. 4. 1. That when Christ was to be tempted by the Devil , he was by the Spirit carried into the Wilderness .

3. Divert thy self by Imployment what thou canst . The great Evils which hazard the Soul under this Distemper , arise from the too much fixation of the thoughts upon some particular terrible Objects . Hence whatsoever is proper to divert the thoughts , that they pore not too much upon such terrible things which are most obvious to them , is a very rational mean to be used in order , if not to the rooting out of the Cause , yet to the preventing the sad Effects of this Distemper . Hence you shall observe in that Story of Elijah , 1 Kings . 19. That God would neither suffer him to be Alone ; nor to be out of Imployment ; both which he seemed to seek : v. 4. He goeth a days Journey into the Wilderness , and sitteth under a Juniper Tree ; there he beggs of God to take away his Life , and lyes down and sleepeth ; v. 5. God sends an Angel , which cometh and toucheth him , and bids him , Arise and Eat ; v. 7. He sends an Angel the second time , and bids him Arise and Eat ; and sends him to Horeb. Still he was in his Melancholick Fit and goeth into a Cave . God , v. 9. comes to him a third time , and saith to him , What doest thou here Elijah ? v. 13. he lingers still , and standeth in the Mouth of the Cave . There cometh a Voice to him again , saying , What doest thou here Elijah ? Methinks God himself in that Chapter prescribes unto persons under these Distempers what to do , and to their friends and relations what they should do , as to them and for them , by all means to avoid Solitude and to drive them out from their pleasing Solititudes ; and to imploy them and divert them : God sends Elijah a Journey , v. 15. to Damascus , to anoint Hazael King of Syria ; and to anoint Jehu King of Israel : Other directions of this Nature I leave to Physicians .

3. Lastly , Religious Means is by no means to be neglected ; for as the blessing of all Means , by which Remedy is given us for any Diseases , even those which are most obvious in their Causes , Effects and Cures , depend upon him , whose name is , The Lord that healeth us : So more especially as to this , the Causes of which are so various , the Effects so uncertain , and the Cure so difficult ; that I doubt whether any yet have wrote satisfactorily ( to more considerate persons ) in the Case . There seems to be much hidden even from the Wisest Naturalists ; and to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , something Divine ; beyond what the Accutest Wits and Reasons have discovered . I would therefore have such persons by no means omit Reading and Hearing the Word of God . Sorrow maketh an heart to stoop , ( saith Solomon ) but a good word makes it better . I have heard a Story of a Good Woman under a great Temptation to destroy her self , and going about to drown her self , first taking her Bible , and casually opening it , and casting her Eye on a Text declaring the great Mercy of God to Sinners , she presently saith , to her self , Nay , if it be so , I will not drown my self yet .

And if there were nothing ( as certainly there is very much ) by persons to be expected upon the Promise of God , to persons performing their Duty , in Reading and Waiting upon God in his Ordinances ; yet I know no Reason but the thoughts of persons may be diverted by what they Read and Hear in Sacred and Holy things , as well as other things which have not such a Stamp and Impress of God upon them . Prayer is the general way of Application and Address unto God in all Cases , if we know no due Means , Prayer obtains Wisdom and Direction from God ; if we use due Means , Prayer obtaineth a Blessing from God upon the use of them : If something must be done for us beyond the Natural Force and Vertue of Means , Prayer obtaineth that from God . But I shall add no more to this first Direction , upon which I had not inlarged so far , but that I find it so hard to perswade persons under this Temptation that it is advantaged by this Natural Distemper ; than which there is nothing more evident upon all Experience , that both this and another Sore Temptation , as to which I shall speak something in my following Discourse , are all highly advantaged and promoved by it ; and therefore a taking heed to our selves in this Case , is also very necessary to prevent them : and I intend when I speak to them , to add little more upon this Argument , but onely refer to what I have said in this Chapter ; which hath made me willing once for all to discourse it more largely . Now I proceed .

CHAP. V.

A Second Direction to prevent Temptations of this Nature . The Mortification of Pride . The Influence which Pride hath upon the Soul , in order to the raising or promoving such thoughts in us ; as it is the great Mother of Discontent , upon Gods altering our External Circumstances . Considerations to be digested , in order to the keeping of our Souls in a mean opinion of our Selves .

2. IN the Second place , Take heed of Pride , live in the Mortification of that Lust . Solomon hath three Wise Sentences in his Book of Proverbs , which we should have at all times ingraven in our hearts . Prov. 11. 2. When Pride cometh , then cometh Shame . Prov. 16. 18. Pride goeth before destruction : and an haughty spirit before a fall . The last is , Prov. 29. 23. A mans pride shall bring him low : I do not think that there are three other pieces of the revealed Will of God , that are more verified in daily experience than these are . I do not know any Soul that is more exposed to Temptations to Sin , nor oftner falleth into them , nor that is more exposed to Temptations for Sin , than the Proud Soul . Pride is a corruption that swelleth a man in the opinion of a mans own merit , worth , and excellency , and consequently breedeth in him an impatience of any thing that should lessen his estimation in the sight of others . Ahithophel was a proud Man , and not able to bear his disgrace at Court , but chuseth rather to hang himself . Whensoever any present shame , or fear of future shame , any degradation , or loss of honour and repute in the World , gives a rise to such motions as these in our hearts , to destroy our selves ; or gives the Devil any advantage to enforce such impressions upon us , Pride is the bottom of it . It is therefore highly advisable for Christians , To be cloathed with Humility , to put on Humbleness of Mind , as the Apostle exhorteth . An humble Soul is hardly taken in this Snare of the Devil . Two or three things will much contribute to this humbleness of Mind . 1 : The consideration of what we are , what we brought with us into the World , and from whom we had it . 2. The Consideration of what we deserve . 3. The Consideration , how little a thing it is to be great in the World . I say , 1. The Consideration of what we are , what we brought with us into the world ; and from whom we had our all that we have . Lord what is Man , that he should be lifted up ? He is made up of two essential parts , The Soul and the Body . Our Philosophy teacheth us , That all reasonable Souls are equal , nor indeed is there any pretence in reason for any inequality originally in them . And are not our Bodies so also ; are they not all Dust , and such as must return to Dust ? Are they not all made of Clay ? Have some Bodies a more beautiful colour , more symmetrical and proportionable parts than others ? Do some Souls discover more excellent Parts and Endowments , through the better Constitution and Complexion of Bodies ? Have some of us more Credit and Reputation in the World , more Riches , and a greater portion of this Worlds Goods than others ? Is any thing of this from our selves ? Have we then built our own Bodies ? Have we given them their Beauty or Symmetry ? Have we so much as made one Hair of our Heads White or Black ? Or added so much as one Cubit to our Stature in the World , in respect of Honour , Riches , and Reputation ? Did we bring any of these things into the World with us ? Can we carry them out of the World with us ? If we have received them , why do we glory , why are we proud of them , as if we had not received them ? Let others honour and admire us for them , we have no reason to admire our selves , nor to think highly of our selves ; let us look to the Rock from which we were hewen , and to the hole of the Pit out of which we were digged . 2. But then ( Secondly ) let us consider what we have deserved . The things upon which we value our selves , as thinking they make us to stand upon the higher ground , were neither hereditary to us , nor have they been purchased by us , by any Merit , of him who hath been our Benefactor as to them . The Apostle putteth them together , Proud , knowing nothing ; 1 Tim. 6. 4. and truly so it is , the Man or Woman that is proud , is one that knoweth nothing . Knoweth nothing ? How can that be , when ordinarily a Mans Knowledge is that which puffeth him up ( it being indeed of any common and indistinguishing mercy , the noblest thing wherein a Man or Woman can differ from another ) the Apostle in another place expoundeth this , when he telleth us , That he who thinketh that he knoweth any thing , knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know it ; 1 Cor. 8. 2. But this is certainly true , that the Proud Man or Woman knoweth nothing in things that are Spiritual . Or if he or she have some Notions of Spiritual Things , they know nothing of them , as they ought to know them ; they have not digested that knowledge by any serious Meditations , they do not believe it . Is it possible that any one should be lifted up in an Opinion of himself above others , who looks to the Rock from which he is hewed , and to the hole of the pit out of which he is digged , that he is the same Clay , the same Dust with another ; though it hath pleased the Potter to order him to be a Vessel of more External Honour , and his Neighbour a Vessel of more Dishonour in the World : Or that any one should exalt himself above what is the Will of God concerning him , thinking that God doth not deal by him as he hath deserved ; who knoweth , That he was a Child of wrath by Nature : That he hath made himself much more so , by his actual Disobediences : That he is punished seven times less than he hath deserved . 3. Then consider , How little a thing it is to be great in the World . It signifieth nothing as to our better part , but mischief for the most part . The Soul of Man is not bettered by Riches or Honour , or any of those good things which affect us , as to our outward Man . It signifieth nothing , as to the Eternal State , either of Soul or Body , and as to the outward Man in this Life , which alone hath any concern in these things . They are so incertain , we are set in such slippery places , while we stand upon these Mountains of Ice and Glass , that no considerate Soul can justly value himself upon them ; but pray , O pray for an humble low Spirit . There is indeed a natural lowness and demission of Mind , and that is a great happiness , where God doth give it unto any . A naturally high and haughty Spirit is exposed to greater Temptations than another that is naturally of a low and mean Spirit ; as the tall Cedar and Oak is more exposed to boisterous Winds than the poor Shrub . There is also a Moral Humility , a lowness of Mind and Spirit caused from Education , and the due Digestion of Moral Principles , and this also doth something . But there is also an Habit of Humility , into which the Soul is wrought by the Holy Spirit of God ; making the Word of God to take hold of the Heart : when the Will of God is that which maketh the Heart to stoop , and brings it to a submission to its portion . This is of all other the more excellent , the most Divine , the most Effectual . Now there is nothing more effectual to arm a Soul against this Temptation than this lowliness of Mind ; nothing more exposing the Soul to this Temptation than that habit which is contrary to it . Pride and height of Spirit , is the great Mother of Discontent , when it ceaseth to be with us , as it formerly was . Hence it is that Men and Women conclude , they had better not be , than be poor and in misery ; it is better for them to put an end to their own days , than to be exposed to shame , contempt , and obloquy . It is therefore of very high concernment to all of us that would be out of the danger of these Fiery Darts , to study humility , while we are in health , while we are in the highest circumstances of prosperity , to be thinking of a lower state and condition , and meditating of the vanity of the high things of the World , the incertainty and slipperiness of them , the littleness of them under their greatest appearances ; to be thinking what poor Creatures we are , how little we brought into this world with us , how little any of us have deserved at the hands of God , to feed our selves continually with Meditation● which may keep us in a low opinion of our selves .

CHAP. VII .

A Third Direction for the preventing of this Temptation . The possessing of our Souls with Patience under , and arming of our Souls against , all manner of Discontent . The Mischief of Discontent , the Excellency of Contentment and the usefulness of it .

3. IF we would keep our selves from the Assaults of this Temptation , we must make it our business to learn in all estates to be content : To possess our selves with Patience , and arm our selves against all manner of Discontent . No Soul satisfied , and contented with his or her state , and condition ; falleth into this Snare of the Devil ; it is always the effect of Discontent : Now Discontent is ordinarily bottomed in Pride , but possibly not always . St. Paul telleth us , Phil. 4. 11. I have learned in whatsoever state I am , therewith to be content . I know both how to be abased , and I know how to abound : every where , and in all things I am instructed , both to be full , and to be hungry , both how to abound , and suffer need . There is no such Antidote as this against the Poison of this Fiery Dart : The Temptation lyeth here , Better be out of the World any way , then endure this Misery , then be exposed to this Shame , then come into the hands of such Enemies . But the Soul that hath possessed it self with Patience , that hath learned in every Estate to be Content , and hath brought it self into a willingness that God should chuse its Lot , and carve its Portion , for it is Armed as with a Coat of Male ; no Dart of this Nature can possibly penetrate such a a Soul . And suffer me to tell you , this will be a Lesson hardly learned , if once the Evil be come upon you ; when the Sense of the present Evil naturally stirreth up Passion in us : of so unspeakable a Consequence is it to have our Wills subdued to the Will of God , to that degree that it shall perfectly rule over us . In matters of Action we sometimes may be at loss , doubting what the will of God is , and what we ought to do ; but now in any Case of Suffering , the Will of God is clear , there can be no dispute about it : There can be no Evil of Punishment in a City , or in a Family , but God must be the Author of it ; it must be the Will of God that such or such a Person should come to Poverty , come into Disgrace , be exposed to Shame and Contempt ; that this . or that Man or Woman should be Racked and Tormented with such a Disease . Now our Business must be , to bring our Wills to the Will of God ; nor must this be studied with reference to a particular Case , for who can tell what shall befall him ; but to learn with Saint Paul , in all things to be content , to have an Heart ready in all Essaies , in all Contingences of this Life , to comply with the Divine Will : Not that it is possible , for a Christian so far to subdue himself , that it shall not at all reluct , nor wish it it self to be in a better Condition ; but so far , that the Spirit shall get the Victory , and Conquer the Motions of the Flesh , and the Heart shall prefer the Will of God to its own Will ; and this is a great business , to bring the Soul of a Man to this pass . And in order to this , there is nothing so much to be studied as Humility and the Mortification of Pride : For as Solomon saith , Onely by Pride comes Contention . So give me leave to tell you , Onely from Pride cometh a Discontent at the Condition wherein God hath set us . For why is the Man or Woman discontented ? But because he or she thinketh he or she is unworthily dealt with , and hath not according to what they have merited . It would be a far too great undertaking for me in a branch of Application , to direct means in order to this Contentment , and propound Rational , or Spiritual Considerations , which duly digested , with the Blessing of God upon them , may work the heart into this frame ; there have been whole Volumns that have been written upon it by Divines of all sorts . I should onely commend one to you , written in our own Language : It is Mr. Borroughs his Book called , The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment : where enough is said upon this Argument , upon the due digestion of which there will be found nothing wanting but Prayer on our side ; for the great Work must be the Lords : who alone can bow and change the Will of Man , and work it into a compliance with the Will of God . Our Passions , since Man in the Fall lost the Reins and Government of them , are grown too hard for our Reason : I shall onely tell you , That a Discontented Spirit is the Devils great Advantage in the forcing of this Dreadful Temptation . No Man can possibly be under the power of this Impression , but that Man onely who is perswaded , That it is better not to be , then to be so Miserable as he is in his present State and Condition .

And hence it is , that although Godly Men and Women may often fall under the molestations of this Temptation , yet they seldom fall under it ( I will not say never , but I say seldom ) because although their Wills are not fully subdued to the Will of God , yet they are generally so far subdued to the Divine will , that the Devil seldom getteth this Advantage against them , so as they shall commit such a Sin .

CHAP. VIII .

A Fourth Direction for the preventing of this Temptation . The Increase of Faith , and Mortifying Vnbelief . As to the Being of God , his Providence , his Promises . What Vnbelief advantageth this Temptation . What Faith prepareth the Soul against it . Three particulars instanced in . An Explication of them and of the Forces of this Direction .

4. FOurthly , Endeavour to promove the habit and work of Faith in your Souls , and to subdue Unbelief . It is the Apostles Exhortation , Heb. 3. 12. Take heed Brethren , least there be in any of you an Evil Heart of Unbelief , in departing from the Living God . To depart from the Living God , is to depart from the Law of God ; from the Rule which he hath set us to guide our Conversation : Thou shalt do no Murther , or Thou shalt not Kill , is a part of that Rule ( you know . ) Now it is Unbelief which gives a Man any Incouragement to a departure from God , in any thing , much more in this : Unbelief , signifies a not agreement to the Propositions of the Word Revealing the Will of God : Or a Distrust in God for the fulfilling of his Promises , whether relating to special Providence , or special Grace , or Eternal Life . Study therfore to be Rooted and Grounded in the Faith ; that you may firmly Believe these things :

1. That there is a God , whose Right it is to Rule and Govern us , to Order us and our Affairs and Conditions , and to dispose of us ; and who will one day Judg us , and deal with us according to what we have done . Whosoever it is that liveth not under this Conviction , must needs think himself in his own Power , and that he may do with himself what he pleaseth ; his Tongue is his own and he may speak , his Hands are his own and he may do what he list , and his Life is his own and he may deny himself in it , and throw it away as he pleaseth ; for to whom should he be accountable for it ? O therefore set God always before your Eyes , possess your selves that you are not your own , but Persons under Authority , and upon whom a Superiour Being hath a Superintendancy ; you will fay , Are we dead Doggs , that we should think any thing contrary to this ? Thus we think : But the Truth is , we profess an assent and agreement to many Propositions , which are not so fastned upon our Hearts , so rivetted in our Souls , as they ought to be . For it must be a mighty inordinate Act , and contrary to the Dictate of all Reason , for a Man to undertake the disposal of that over which he hath no Dominion , and for the disposal of which he must be accountable unto a Superiour . Indeed there is something of Atheism in every Sin , but there must be abundance of Atheism in this Sin : It is impossible that while a Man entertaineth Thoughts to destroy himself , he should fixedly believe , that he is not at his own disposal as to this Life ; but at the disposal of God , and he such a God as is to be his Judge ; and whom will one day call him to Account , as well for what he hath done with the Life which he gave him , as with the Estate , Parts , &c. which he gave him . I would therefore never have a man think that he sufficiently believeth this first Principle of all Duty and Religion , but be ever whetting it upon his Heart : That God is , and what a God he is .

2. That every Man and Woman hath a Spiritual Part , an Immortal Soul , that can no more be extinguished with the Body , then Eat , or Drink , or Sleep with it , but goeth to an Eternal Existence when it is seperated from the Body : Where the Body raised up from the dust , shall one day meet it and be united to it , and with it either suffer Eternal Torment , or enjoy Eternal Happiness , according to what it hath done in this Life . Certainly no Rational Being , no Man could possibly entertain a Thought to Kill himself , if he were firmly perswaded , That it is a thing impossible for him to determine his own Being . We cannot desire nor attempt to go about what we are fully perswaded is an impossible atchievement . A thing impossible to be obtained , our Reason will not suffer our Mind to run upon , or our Hearts to run out after things which we clearly apprehend are not possible in Nature . Now admitting these Principles , That Man is something more then Flesh and Blood animated , That he hath a Spiritual Part , that this it is Immortal , and cannot Perish with the Body ; but when it parteth from the Body goeth into Eternal Mansions , either in Happiness or in Misery : That the Body after Death shall revive again in the Resurrection , and there both the Soul and Body of every Man and Woman shall be again united and make one Person ; and shall both together enter an happy or miserable Eternity . I say admitting this , it is impossible for a Man to determine his Being , all he can possibly do is to determine his Being in this World . He can neither by such Act determine his Being nor yet his Misery ; he may determine indeed his Misery as to this Life , but his Soul will then but enter into a state of Ten thousand times more Misery in another World ; and there will be a time after the revolution of a few years , when his Body shall return to Ten thousand times more Misery than it ever felt in this World . Now certainly no Person , under any command or conduct of Reason , can possibly be induced to attempt a thing impossible , to deliver himself from any Evil : Nor yet throw himself into an infinitly worse state , to deliver himself from a present bad estate . All the Entertainment therefore which such Temptations have in our Hearts , must be advantaged from Unbelief of these great Principles ; which indeed are the Foundations and Principles of all Religion . Labour therefore , for as much as in you lies to Root your selves in the belief of these things , that you may not have the least doubt or haesitation of , in your Hearts with relation to them : Live in the daily Meditation of them , suffer not your Souls to call them in Question , be acquainted with those Portions of Holy Writ , where the Revelation of these things is clearest to you . Take heed of Unbelief as to these things .

3. A Third thing , as to which the Soul should be fully perswaded , that will avoid the dint of this Temptation , is as to the Truth of the Holy Scriptures in the general , so of those Portions of them in particular ; which reveals the Will of God as to the preservation of our own Lives and the Lives of others , and the Wrath of God against such as commit Sins of this Nature : Such as those Gen. 9. 6. Num. 35. 32. Thou shalt not Kill , No Murtherer hath Eternal Life , and all such as express the greatness of the Sin of Murther ; for it is but an easie Conclusion of Reason from these Principles , If I ought not to Kill another , I ought much less to Kill my self : If I ought to preserve the Life of my Neighbour , surely I ought to preserve my own Life : If I ought to preserve my Chastity , to preserve my Vessel in Honour , surely I ought not to dash it in pieces : If I ought not to maime or dismember my self , surely I ought not to destroy my self . The truth is , no Soul can possibly be guilty of this Sin , who either doth not in whole disbelieve the Scriptures , or in whose Heart the disbelief of them doth not prevail to a very high degree at that time when he is prevailed with by any Temptation to do such a thing .

But there is also another Unbelief which must be predominant in the Soul at that time when it is prevailed upon by this Temptation , and that is a Distrust in God for the fulfilling of his Promises ; either with relation to special Providence , or special Grace , or Eternal Life . Those who are in any Measure acquainted with the Holy Scriptures , know that they are full of many great and precious Promises , as to Eternal Life , and also as to this Life . As to Eternal Life , made under such Conditions , and upon such Terms as his infinite Wisdom thought fit to Prescribe and Limit . Those , as to this Life , are of various sorts , many of them relating to an afflicted state ; That he will put Strength into us : That he will lay no more upon us then he will inable us to bear : That he together with the Temptation , will also give an happy issue ; and many more of like import : as to which , the Soul that Trusteth God , and in which the Exercises of such Trust and Confidence in God , are lively , and vigorous , can never be Guilty of this Sin ; for how shall that Soul go about to deliver it out of a Misery , which believeth that God will in his own time deliver it , and in the mean time Support , Uphold , and Comfort it , and make its Affliction issue in Good , and for its advantage ; working for it a far more Eternal and exceeding Weight of Glory : Or how shall that Soul Trust in God for Pardon of Sin , and Eternal Life , which knoweth that Repentance and Faith , are the ordinary means prescribed by God for obtaining these things , and do the last Act of his Life of such a Nature as leaveth no room to be renewed by Repentance ; and is such as God hath said , None that doth it hath Eternal Life . So that as it is apparent that this Temptation is advantaged by nothing so much as Atheism and Unbelief , so there is no such Antidote against it as vigorous Habits and Acts of Faith : Nor is it possible that a believing Soul should be under the Power and Prevailings of it , while it keepeth under the Conduct and Command of Reason .

CHAP. IX .

An Holy Life and Conversation an excellent Preparative to this Spiritual Combate . This opened . Terrours of Conscience for Sin , oft times one great cause of such Thoughts . These not ordinary , but for great Sinnings , some more notorious Acts of Vngodliness , or of Vnrighteousness , great Sinnings against Light , &c.

5. FIfthly , There is no better Preparative for this Spiritual Combate , then an Holy Life and Conversation . Although the Holiest Men alive are not exempted from this Fiery Dart ( even Christ himself heard the Devil say ( Cast thy self down ) yet you shall observe these Temptations mostly fall upon Men of loose Lives and Conversation , at least do most ordinarily prevail against such . The ordinary Motive that prevaileth with Souls to do this thing , is the avoiding of some great Evil which either they have in prospect , or feel the burden of . Now this Evil is either more External , such as Slavery and falling into the hands of Enemies , This made Saul fall upon his own Sword , and Cato kill himself : Or horrible bodily Pains and Tortures ; being exposed to some shameful Death , &c. Or else they are more Internal , such as Horrours and Pangs of Conscience . They are rare Instances , that either Holy or Civil History gives us of Persons putting an end to their own Lives to avoid Imprisonment , Shame , or Tortures from Men ; and not many that we have of Persons , who in Terrible Bodily Pains , have exposed to the Prevailings of this Temptation . Now these Terrours and Pangs of Conscience arise from the Souls Reflections upon its Guilt in respect of Sin . Thus the Scripture tells us Judas hang'd himself , crying out , he had betrayed Innocent Blood . Thus History tells us Pontius Pilate killed himself ; and thus we Read of many others in History . And although there be no Sin so little , but if God setteth it home upon the Conscience and supporteth not the Soul with his Grace , it is able to drive the Soul to this desperate issue ; yet it is not ordinary for Sins of a more minute Nature , and such as the best of Men commit , to be followed with such horrours as seize the Spirit of a Man , or for Satan to take such an advantage from them . The reflections which produce this effect , are usually upon some Sins of a more then ordinary Tincture ; and that have had some more eminent circumstances of Aggravation : From whence it followeth that a Godly and Righteous Conversation , Religious towards God , Just and Righteous towards Men , is one of the best Preservatives from the violence of this Temptation . A Pr●fane Atheistical Blasphemous Person is highly exposed to the Impetus of it , so is any , who hath bin guilty of more notorious Acts of Unrighteousness , such as Murther , Persecution , high degrees of Violence and Oppression : For though it be true that God is able to pardon many Sins as well as few , great as well as small , and the Promise extendeth to all Sin and Blasphemy , to Scarlet and Crimson Sins ; yet we shall find it an harder thing to be beleeve in Christ for the Remission of Sins of so high a Tincture : Besides that , Courses of Sin of this Nature , have a very ill influence upon the Heart , to blind , and to harden it ; so that poor Creatures under the Guilt of them are often more sensible of the Wrath of God due to those who commit such things , then of the Evil and Filthiness of them . O therefore flee such things as these are , you know not how far God for them may leave you to Satans Buffetings of this Nature ; you know not what it is to Repent of them , nor how hardly the Soul that is under the Guilt of them is brought to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ , or to hope in him for the free Pardon and Remission of them ; or to arrive at any sense of the Pardon of them : In short , take heed of all bold sinnings against Light and Checks or Reverberations of Conscience . If we will not hearken to the lighter Checks and Dictates of Conscience , we are often and but justly repaid with the severer Terrours and Affrightments of it , for our doing of such things contrary to its Dictates and lighter Admonitions : But the holy Man that walketh closely with God , that liveth up to his Light and Revelations of the Will of God , is very much out of this danger ; and though he may have some impressions of this Nature , yet they rarely are advantaged from an aking Conscience in the sense of Guilt .

CHAP. X.

Directions for them who are already fallen under this Temptation . Melancholy to be evacuated by Natural Means . 2. The Motive is to be considered , which usually is a freedome from some present or imminent Evil. Two things to be considered : 1. Whether it will free us , to destroy our selves ? 2. Whether there be not a more safe and certain way to be free ?

I Have thus far onely prepared you against a wrestling with this Temptation and given you preventing Physick , ( which indeed they say is best ) and it is better indeed to keep such an Enemy as Satan is , Armed with this Dart , at a distance ; then to trust to our own Strength in the hour of Combate : But possibly as to some poor Souls this counsel may come too late , the Enemy may be upon them : What shall be done in this Case ? I shall conclude my Discourse , referring to this Temptation with some Advice of this Nature .

1. And here my first Direction must be of the same Nature as before : The Evacuating of those Peccant Natural Humours of which the Devil takes advantage ; and this at the first . Physicians will tell you , That there is a Melancholick Deliration : Melancholy may so far prevail , as to put a Man or Woman out of the Conduct and Guidance of his Reason ; and who knoweth what a Man in those Circumstances may do : and although it be true that Acts done in Distractions are not Humane Acts , and possibly shall not be imputed to us , yet let me tell you that these are sad issues of our Lives , and oftentimes Men and Women are so rational by Times , and in some Acts , that it is a very hard judgment to be made by standers by , whether such Miserable Creatures , doing such an Act , do it under the Conduct of their Reason ( for the avoiding of a great Misery as they suppose , which they feel or fear ) yea or no. This therefore is the first thing to be done in this Case , for the Removal of those Rises and Advantages which the Devil takes from this Temperature of Body . When this is done ,

2. The next thing to be attended , Is a just Enquiry into the Motive which the Devil urgeth to us to induce us to such an Act , that ordinarily is the removing of our selves from the sense of some great Evil , which either is upon us , or like some black cloud , hangeth over our heads , and we apprehend is not avoidable : for although we read of some amongst the Heathens , that had got some imperfect Notions of the Immortality of the Soul , and an happy Estate , into which it should enter after Death ; out of hast to be there , put an end to their Lives : yet there are no Christians , but are better instructed , and know that although the Souls of Men and Women be indeed Immortal , and that there is a Blessed Eternity into which the Souls of some Men and Women shall enter ; yet there is also a Miserable Eternity , into which the Souls of others shall go . And for the Blessed Eternity into which some shall enter , the way to it is directed by Gods Word , and not by our own Fancy ; and that it is no way to do it to die in a sinful Act , which leaveth hardly any room for Repentance , and speaketh the greatest Unbelief imaginable . So that , I say , the general Motive prevailing with any to the least hearkening to this Temptation , is the removal of our selves from the fear or present sense of some evils , which either press or threaten us . This being found out , certainly there can be nothing imagined more effectual to deliver us from the dint of this Temptation , then seriously to consider with our selves . 1. Whether the destroying our selves will effect that end , indeed delivering the Soul from such Evils ? 2. Whether , supposing that it would , deliverance might not be hoped for another way ; far more certain and more advantagious ? As to the First , A Man or Woman must be more certain of his or her happy state after this Life , then it is possible a Soul should be that doth entertain such thoughts , or he can never be assured , that the doing of such an Act should deliver him from the Misery under which he groaneth . It is indeed very possible that a Soul should be under the assurance of Eternal Life ( whatever the Papists say ) but it is impossible that a Soul should be under this Assurance at the same time , having it in his Heart , and resolving to do that Act , as to which the Scripture hath said , That he that doth it , shall not inherit Everlasting Life , or hath not Eternal Life . Now admit the Soul not to enter into Life , he certainly goes into the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone ; where the Worm never dies , the Fire never goeth out . For a Man or Woman to leap out of the Miseries of this Life into the Pit of Hell , to deliver himself from any degree of Misery , either felt or feared , is so wild and irrational an Undertaking , as no Soul under the guidance of Reason can do it , but one that believeth no Hell ; so that it is an Act agreeing onely to an Unbeliever , or a Mad-man , an Atheist , or a Man Distracted . 2. But Secondly , Admit now that a Man or Woman , destroying him or her self , would bring him or her a deliverance from Misery in the Grave ; Job saith , The wicked cease from troubling , the weary be at rest . The Prisoners rest and hear not the Voice of the Oppressor , the Servant is free from his Master . So then , if Mens Souls expired with their Bodies , Death would deliver them ; it freeth the Beast of the Field , and all sensitive Creatures ; admit it would so free a Man or Woman , which it will not , yet certainly it is by no means elegible , unless we can be freed no other way , and to no better advantage . Suppose a Man or Woman , under a painful fit of the Gout , or under an extremity of Pain in some particular Member or Joynt , so as the cutting off an Hand or a Leg , or a Joynt , will certainly cure him , yet who almost ( if it be but as to the pulling out of a Tooth ) will purchase his freedom from pain at that rate , till he or she seeth that no other way will do . Thou art under a great degree of Misery , great bodily Pains or Torments , or in danger of some great Shame , Misery , or Reproach : Thou hast a Temptation to free thy self from the pressure of it , by destroying thy self , and ( which is the best thou canst fancy if thou beest an Atheist ) annihilating thy Being . But is there no other way than this for thy Relief ? Is there not a waiting upon God , an exercising of hope and confidence in him ? Is he not able to support and to bear thee up under these pressures ? To make thy burthen light unto thee , and to take it off thy Shoulders when he shall think good ? Hath he not promised that he will not lay upon us more than he will inable us to bear , that he will be with us in the Fires , and in the Waters , that the Waters shall not drown us , nor the Flames kindle upon us ? If I can be delivered from an Evil , of which I am afraid , or which I feel a more certain and easie way , than that which I am pressed to use , which is both incertain and of greater disadvantage ; doth not all imaginable Reason dictate to me the use of it ? And certainly to a Soul possessed of the truth of what God hath revealed in his Word , and under the conduct of Reason , nothing need be added to repel so unnatural a Temptation as this is ; whereas therefore some are shy that persons under the prevailing of Melancholy , should read Books of ●●rrible Arguments , or hear Sermons of the Wrath of God against Sinners , of Hell and Judgement . I do not think any Books opening the Scriptures , or any portions of Scriptures , fitter to be read , or any Sermons fitter to be heard , by persons under these circumstances , then such Books , such Sermons , such Portions of Holy Writ , as most express the Wrath of God against Sinners , most livelily express the miserable estate of Souls in another World under the Wrath of God : Together with such as contain or explain the Promises of God , for Support , and Strength , and Help under , and Deliverance from , the greatest Pressures of Affliction and Misery . By the reading and hearing of the one ( the Grace of God concurring ) which is always requisite to make the Soul believe what it reads and hears , a Soul shall be deterred from such an undertaking from the rational consideration , That there is no way for it to get out of its Misery ; and by the other , it shall be perswaded that there is a far nearer and more certain way of Relief for it , if it can but exercise a little Patience from the good hand of God , who is able to relieve it , and who hath promised , and is faithful . Which two points are of very great import for a Soul to be perswaded of , that it may stand against this fiery Dart , and of that Nature , that it is impossible that any Soul in the full possession and belief of them , should ever listen to this Temptation , so long as it pleaseth God to keep it in the exercise of its Reason . Let therefore every Soul under this Temptation , make it its business to give it self the fullest possession of these Truths ; for it is the Unbelief or faint Belief , of these things , that gives the least advantage to the roaring Lion , thus seeking about to devour Souls . The more rooted a Soul is in the Doctrine of Eternity , both that which relateth to damned Souls , and that which relateth to such as shall be saved , the more remote and difficult it will be , as to listning to any Temptation of this nature .

CHAP. XI .

Further Directions for Souls thus tempted . The avoiding of Solitude . The Study and Meditation of the Nature of the Covenant of Grace , in the Matter of it , the freeness of it , the sureness of it , the well ordering of it in all things .

3. Dir. AVoid Solitudes and Solitary Places ; I mentioned this before as a means to prevent prevailings of Melancholy , but let me a little farther inlarge upon that Argument . Indeed excesses of Solitude are by no means to be affected by Christians , under the greatest freedom of Body and Mind , tho nothing more conduceth to a Souls Health and Freedom in communion with God , then some just Measures and Proportions of it ; yet nothing is more dangerous in this hour of Temptation . I observe Elijah was alone when he prayed God in a fit of Discontent , to take away his Life ; and Jonah , ch. 4. 5 , 8. was in a Booth alone , out of the City , when he said , It is better for me to die than to live . And our blessed Lord was alone when Matth. 4. 6. the Tempter said unto him , set upon the Pinacle of the Temple , If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down . Of Souls under these circumstances , it is eminently true that Solomon saith , Ecc. 4. 11. Two are better than one , and woe to him that is alone when he falleth , for he hath none other to help him up . These Acts are committed usually by Persons that are alone . It is therefore highly advisable to Persons under these Impressions , to avoid giving this advantage to the Adversary , and to those who are nearly concerned in , and about Persons under these Temptations to be watchful , as to this thing , especially when they discern the Impressions are most strong upon them . But having touched upon this before , I shall add no more to it now .

4. Dir. Fourthly , There is nothing more proper for Souls under these circumstances , Than to be much in the Study and Meditation of the Nature of the Covenant of Grace . I told you before , that supposing a Man or Woman under the conduct and government of Reason , it is very hard to imagine what Motive should possibly prevail upon them , to put an end unto their Lives , but the freeing of themselves from so eminent Evils , which they suffer to that degree , that they conclude it is better for them to die than to live . Now these Evils I told you were either External , Afflictions and Crosses ; or such as are Internals , Horrors of Mind , Terrors of Conscience . If the Motive be a freedom from Evils of the first sort , I advised before what I judged proper , viz. The Consideration , whether the determination of our Lives in that manner , would indeed free us , or rather make our Condition much worse . And Secondly , Whether there be not an easier and safer way to procure our selves such an Immunity . But now , Suppose the Evils be of the second sort , viz. The Horrors and Terrors of Conscience , from the guilt of sin . If this be the Motive , the force of it lieth in our Ignorance or Mistake about the Covenant of Grace , and look as under a Temptation , to which External Misery is the great Motive . There is nothing more proper than a just understanding of the state of the Damned , and the misery of Impenitent and Unpardoned Souls in the World to come : So supposing the Motive to be Horrors and Terrors of Conscience , upon our Reflections upon Sin , there is nothing more proper for a Soul than rightly to understand the Covenant of Grace , and the reading of such Books , and whetting upon our Hearts such Portions of Gods revealed Will in his Word , as are most fully expressive of it . Truly , to understand this , That there is no Sinner run into such an arrear with Gods Justice , no Soul so guilty , but by vertue of a gracious Covenant of Redemption and Grace , which God the Father hath from Eternity contracted with the Son of his Love ; the Redeemers part in which Covenant is also fulfilled by Jesus Christ : may find Mercy with God , repenting of his Sin , and casting it self upon the free Mercy and Grace of God , in and through the Merits and Satisfaction of Christ . Such is this Covenant of Grace , that the most guilty Soul fulfilling his part in it , and accepting of it , may be assured , that although its past sins , cannot be made never to have been , yet they shall be as if they never had been . That is , they shall no more condemn the Soul , then if they never had been ; they shall not be mentioned , they shall be sought for and not found ; the Righteousness of Christ shall be reckoned unto the Soul , as if it were its Righteousness . It is impossible that a Soul knowing and believing this , and living in the view of this gracious Covenant , should ever be frighted out of its Life , from the Horrors of Conscience by its Reflections upon its guilt of Sin . Though an ignorant Person , that knoweth not this , or an unbelieving Soul ; which though it may have received the Notion of it , yet cannot believe it may from this Motive be induced to a yielding to this Temptation ; yet to speak the truth , admiting a Soul sure of its Damnation , and that its Sins were so great as they could never be forgiven ; it should in reason rather be an Argument to a Soul , if it were possible , by all means imaginable to lengthen out its days to the years of Meth●s●lah , then to cut off an inch of that time which God will allow him . For what reason can prompt any Man to think the Horrors and Torments of a wounded Conscience more intollerable than the Pains that are suffered by damned Souls ? Or what Reason will guid any Man to endeavour to be tormented before his time ? How earnest do we find condemned Malefactors , sometimes ( tho out of all hope to be pardoned ) but to be reprieved for a time ; but I say , by reason of the Covenant of Grace , this is not the case of any one poor Soul , to advantage this Temptation . There is no Soul that can in judgement say ( though sometimes they say so in their Fits and Passions ) I know I shall be damned , and there is nothing can give a ●ise for Satan in this Temptation , but Persons Ignorance , or Unbelief of the Covenant of Grace . O therefore , let all Souls , but especially such as are thus tempted , study this : Consider ,

1. What it is that God hath Covenanted for , for pardon of Sin : For power and strength against Sin , for Eternal Life and Salvation , for strength against Temptations . Every Spiritual Promise is a branch of the Covenant , and the Promises are of those various Natures , that there is no Spiritual Evil of which we can have any present sense , or any fear as to time to come , for which God hath not in one Promise or an other provided us an Antidote . Is it the guilt o● Sin already committed ? God hath promised to pardon it . Is it the fear of guilt not yet contracted , God hath said , I will heal your Backslidings and love you freely ▪ He hath said , Sin shall not have Dominion over your Mortal Bodies . So as tho● hast no reason to destroy thy self , eithe● because thou hast sinned , or because● thou fearest thou shalt sin against God , to an irremissible degree . Art thou afrai● that Temptations shall prevail against thee● He hath assured thee , that Christ wa● therefore tempted , that he might be able t● succour the tempted ; that with the temptation he will give thee an happy issue , that he will bruise Sathan under thy Feet shortly . In short , There is no Spiritual Incumbrance , as to which there is not some provision made in the Covenant of Grace , and declared in some Gospel Promise .

2. Consider again , the freeness of the Covenant . It is called a Covenant of Grace , Grace signifieth Free Love . I will ( saith God ) heal your Backslidings , and love you freely . There is nothing to be paid for thy Pardon , all that is , is finished , the utmost Farthing that the Justice of God could exact , is already paid by the Hand of Christ . There is nothing required of thee but an acknowledgement of thy Guilt , an hatred of thy former Ways , a resolution joyned with an endeavour to forsake them , with an acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ , as thy Redeemer and Saviour . Oh this , this is that , which could a Soul , under Temptations of this Nature believe , these Temptations would certainly abate . We in distresses of Conscience stick too much in a Righteousness of our own . Let me here give you the Copy of a short Letter wrote by that Eminent Servant of God Luther , to an Hermite , v. Luther . Ep. t. 1. I ( saith he ) desire to know what thy Soul doth , whether at last being weary of its own Righteousness , it hath learned to breath after , and to trust in the Righteousness of Christ . For in our Age a Temptation of Presumption too much prevaileth , and particularly in them , who by all means study to approve themselves Righteous and good Men , being ignorant of the Righteousness of God , plentifully and freely given unto us , by and through Christ . They so long study to work well , until they arrive at a confidence of standing before God , as it were , upon their own Legs , and by their own Merits , which is a thing impossible . You and I have both been once of that Opinion , or rather in that Error , but now I set my self against it , but have not yet conquered my self as to it . Therefore ( my dear Brother ) learn Christ , and him crucified ; learn to sing Praise to him , and despairing of your self , to say to him , Lord Jesus thou art my Righteousness , I am thy Sin : Thou hast taken upon thee what was mine , and given unto me what was thine . Thou hast taken what thou wert not , and given unto me what I was not . Take heed ( saith he ) of aiming at such a degree of purity , as to appear to thy self no Sinner , for Christ dwelleth in the Hearts of none but Sinners . He therefore came down from Heaven when he dwelled in his Saints , that he might dwell in Sinners . O meditate of his Love , and you will feel his most sweet Consolation . For to what purpose hath he died , if we could arrive at a tranquility of Conscience by our own Endeavours , and Tormenting of our selves ? You will never therefore find Peace , but by despairing of your Selves , and your own Works , and a fiducial dependance on him . You will further learn by this , That as he took thy Nature , and made thy Sins ( as it were ) his , so he hath made his Righteousness thine . An hour of Temptation , either of this Nature , or to despair of Gods Mercy , as to the pardon of Sin , and the Eternal Salvation of the Soul , will discover the value of those Physicians , who have found out another way to relieve afflicted Consciences , in the sense of their own Unrighteousness , then by pressing the great Doctrine of the Gospel of the Justification of the Soul , by the Righteousness of Christ , reckoned to the believing Soul for Righteousness . And certainly , Gods Absolution or Acquittance of a Soul from its Debts to Divine Justice , by the Righteousness of the Son of God , reckoned , accounted , or ( which is the same ) imputed to it , as if performed by it , is of no more difficult Conception ( whatever some pretend in the case ) than a Creditors Discharge , and giving Acquittance to a Debtor upon his Friend or Sureties payment of the Debt ; upon which the Principal is Discharged , as if he had personally paid it . Believe it , other Notions may afford matter of Discourse in a calm time , but nothing but the Notion of Free Grace and Christs Righteousness reckoned to us , will serve us in an hour of Temptation . Let us therefore rather chuse to part with the Sun in the Firmament , or with the Light of our Eyes , than to part with this great Truth . Let some trust in Charriots , some in Horses . Let some trust in the Works of others , some in their own Fancies ; but let us remember the Name of the Lord of God , and let us remember that his Name is the Lord our Righteousness . When a Soul is under great Horror and Terrors of Conscience , because of its Guiltiness , its former guilt of Sin , let the Sin be what , and of what Nature it will . Oh let it remember that Christ was given for a Covenant for the People ; he was by his Father called in Righteousness , and his Hand was held , and he was kept and given for a Covenant of the People , for a Light of the Gentles , to open the blind Eyes , to to bring the Prisoners from the Prison , and them that sit in Darkness , out of the Prison House ; Isaiah 42. 6 , 7. Let him remember that he is to say , Isaiah 45. 24. Surely in the Lord I have Righteousness and Strength . That if he had never committed those Sins , which now so lie upon and load his Conscience , yet he could never have stood before God in his own Works , and in a legal Righteousness ; but what the Law could not do because it was weak through our Flesh , that God himself hath done , sending his Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh , and for Sin condemning Sin in the Flesh , that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us ; Rom. 8. 3. And let him consider , that being he must be saved by Christ , and stand before God , as found in him , not having his own Righteousness , though his Nakedness hath been more than the Nakedness of some other Men , yet that long white Robe is large enough to cover it ; for the Righteousness of Christ , his Merits , are of vast and infinite Vertue ; as the Schoolmen say of Gods Essence , that it filleth Heaven and Earth , and an infinite space beyond both . So the Merits of Christ have expiated for the Sins of all that shall be saved , and have an infinite Vertue beyond . Therefore there is no reason for a Soul to concluds its Sins shall not be forgiven , or its Horrors of Conscience for them never cease : those cease of course upon the sense of pardon , or a good hope through Grace . It is but a Relique of Popery that tortureth Mens Consciences past cure , I mean an Opinion lurking in us , that we must our selves satisfie the Justice of God ; and that upon the price paid , and satisfaction given by Christ , pardon doth not proceed freely ; for all Sin , and all Blasphemy , to a Soul seeking for it , by earnest Prayer , true Sorrow for Sin , and resolution against it , and a true adherence to the Lord Jesus Christ .

3. Again , Study the Sureness of this Covenant . It is a Covenant of Salt , as well as a Covenant of Peace . Gods Covenant with Day and Night , shall sooner cease ; it containeth the sure Mercies of David . It cannot fail , God cannot suffer his Faithfulness to fail , he cannot alter the thing that hath gone out of his Lips . The failure of Covenants amongst Men , is rooted in their Variableness and Mutability , their want of Fore-sight and Knowledge of future Contingencies , &c. no such thing can be as to this Covenant . He is the Lord that changeth not , his Name is , I am , he had a perfect and certain Prospect and Fore-sight of all that could happen .

4. Finally , Meditate of it as a well ordered Covenant . It is true , The Covenant of Grace hath its Conditions to be fulfilled on our part . Such as are the taking hold of it , mentioned Is. 56. 6. which cannot be without seeking the Lord while he may be found , calling upon him while he is near ; the wicked Man forsaking his way , and the unrighteous man his thoughts , and his returning to the Lord ; Isaiah 55. 6 , 7. and perseverance in the ways of God , is another condition to be performed . But as to those , it is in this well ordered . That there are Branches in the same Covenant , wherein God hath promised : 1. To work those Conditions in us ; that is , we doing what in us lies by Vertue of that Common Grace , which he denieth to none , or by Vertue of those special Habits , which he will please to work in us , not to be wanting in those further Aids and Assistances of his Grace , by which we shall be inabled to do whatsoever he hath required of us : in order to the obtaining the promised end of our Hopes in the Salvation of our Souls . 2. That that those Failings which we shall be guilty of through Humane Infirmity , though they may cause us sorrow in the Flesh , yet they shall not frustrate the Promise and Covenant of God , he will yet heal our Backslidings and love us freely . Now the Covenant of Grace being thus rightly understood and apprehended , I would fain understand what room can possibly be left in a Sinner for Satan to fasten this fiery Dart , with any effect upon the Soul . I will suppose a Soul under the greatest Terror imaginable , for Sins of the highest nature . Why should he destroy himself , if there be hope in the God of Heaven , concerning such Sinners ? If all Sin and Blasphemy , whereby a Man shall Blaspheme , may be forgiven him ? Is God a Righteous God that loveth Righteousness , and can by no means clear the guilty ? Why yet should he do it , if he hath provided the Soul a Righteousness , whereby it may stand Righteous before God , acquitted form all manner of Guilt , and out of all danger of Condemnation ? What if it hath formerly been without Righteousness , and be yet without Strength or Ability to any Act of Righteousness ; if the Righteousness wherein it must stand before God , be not any personal Righteousness of its own , but the Righteousness of Christ reckoned to it for Righteousness ? Is it tormented through fear of future Sinnings , the prevailings of Temptations , or its own Corruptions ? Yet why should the poor Creature run himself out of the World upon this fright , when the Covenant of Grace is so well ordered , as there is in it a sufficient Provision made for it , both for Assistance against the prevailings and dominion of Sin , to that degree , as to ruin the Soul to Eternity , and as to that degree of Guilt , which every Soul through Ignorance , Infirmity , pure or mixt , runs into , for the healings of its Backslidings . What is here left for a sinful Soul to do , but to use the means of Grace , to apply it self unto God by Fasting and Prayer , to consider its ways , and what in it lies to turn to the Lord , to be sensible of its Sins , and to trust in the Lords Mercies , taking heed to it self that it sin no more presumptuously ; abstaining from all appearances of Evil , studying to perfect Holiness in the fear of God ; and daily to renew its Repentance and Faith in Christ , as it discerneth its Sins are renewing every day . To what purpose doth a Soul under such gracious and hopeful Circumstances think of destroying it self , and asserting its own Eternal Condemnation , or at least making its Salvation very uncertain , which it should rather design to make sure , by an Holy Life and Conversation . So that , I say , admit Horror of Conscience for Sin to be the Argument Satan makes use of to inforce this Temptation , nothing can be more proper for a Soul exercised under the Temptation , than to study , understand , lay hold on , make application of , and improve the Covenant of Grace ; and often to repeat to it self that of St. Paul , Rom. 8. 34 , 35. Who is he that condemneth ? Or what sin is that which can condemn me ? It is Christ that died , yea rather that is risen again , who is even at the right hand of God , who also maketh intercession for us , who shall separate us from the Love of Christ ? But this is enough to have spoken upon this Argument .

CHAP. XII .

Further Directions . Not keeping the Devils Counsel , not deliberating or parlying with Satan . Giving their Thoughts what lawful Diversions they can . Whether they should shun Precipices , coming near Wells , or Ponds , and keeping close to all Means of Grace , whether more publick or Private .

5. FIthly , Let Christians under the Impetus of these Suggestions take heed of keeping the Devils Counsel , or admitting any Parley or Deliberation with him about this point of hearkening to the Motion . May it be the lot of any of our Souls at any time to come under such Impressions ? Oh let us never conceal them from our Faithful Ministers , nor from our Christian Friends , nor from our nearest Relations : Not from the first and second , because they are the Ordinance of God unto us , to give us Spiritual Counsel and Assistance ; to shew us the unreasonableness of the Motion , the danger of the Temptation ; it is their work to Pray with us and to Pray for us : It is the work of the Minister to Interpret and Declare to us the Mind and Will of God . A Brother , a Spiritual Friend , is born for an hour of Adversity : The Temptation , while discovered , will press us harder , and we shall the less know what to say to the Tempter , and how to Resist our great Adversary ; nor should we conceal our selves from our nearest Relations ; for though they should not be so able as an Intelligent , Godly Divine , or Knowing Christians ; to fortify us with Reasons , and Arguments , yet they will be concerned to Watch us , especially when they discern the Impressions more violent , for sometimes Impressions of this nature are so violent and strong , that they hurry poor Creatures to a present destroying of themselves , and the Wicked Action is done in a Moment . And again , Christian , If thou wouldest be able to stand against this Fiery Dart ; never admitt a Parly or Deliberation with the Tempter about it , That Soul is in a great degree Conquered , that is prevailed with to deliberate upon an Action so apparently contrary to the Revealed Will of God . Get thee behind me Satan , was Christs Answer to the Tempter ; Luke 4. 8. When he Tempted him to Worship him : He would not so much as once think upon the Motion .

6. Sixthly , Let Christians under these Assaults give their Thoughts as much lawful Diversion as they can . I say lawful , for we must take heed of casting out one Devil by another ; but there is lawful Diversions enough , such are visitings of good People , diligent Attendance upon our honest Labours in our Callings , giving our selves any honest Imployment , by our Exercise in which , our Thoughts may be taken off from fixing upon the Impressions made upon them . I have often seen it , that Persons under these Circumstances have been very hardly perswaded to this ; but it is Men and Womens duty in these Cases in a thing which ( as this is ) is within their power , and onely contrary to their humour to force themselves , and if in this they be wanting it is a Presumptuous Sinning .

7. Seventhly , I know not what I should say to that piece of Advice which some give Souls under these Assaults . Not to shun the sight , or handling , or coming near any Instruments , or Means which they may make use of to destroy themselves , as Knives , Ropes , Wells , Precipices ; &c. It is true , it is good for us to go on in our ordinary way trusting in God , and not fearing the Tempter ; but in an hour when the Impression is very strong upon the Tempted Soul : Whether it be advisable or no I cannot tell , for Christians thus Tempted , to come too nigh Pricipices or Places of deep Waters , or such Instruments as they may make a sudden use of , to do himself or herself Evil ; at least not without a close and narrow Watch upon them : for the truth is , in the heat and violence of such Impressions , Men and Women oft times have little use of their Reason . As to this thing therefore I think Christians ought to Rule themselves by the Circumstances of the present hour , and this cannot be fixt for a general Direction : I will add but one thing more , and with that shut up this Discourse .

8. Let such Christians above all others , keep close to the use of all Means of Grace , whether more Publick or more Private . The Means of Grace are the Word , the Sacraments , and Prayer . The Word is to be Read and Heard . We Read the pure Word of God without any thing of Mans Invention : This hath been mightily Powerful . The Story of Agustine I have told you of , who under great Distress , and Terrour of Conscience , was Relieved by Obeying a Voice he thought he heard out of the adjoyning Room , Tolle & Lege , Take up the Book and Read ; upon which he took up a Bible by him , and Read what God Blessed to his Relief . The Word Preached hath something of Mans Mixture , but if faithfully opened and applied , is Gods Ordinance for the Staying and Comforting of People . The Minister is Gods Interpreter , and he should be one of a Thousand . I look upon it as the great Misery of Souls under these Temptations , they can seldom be perswaded to Read , or to hear the Word ; and verily where it is thus , the Devil hath prevailed a great way . I would that such Christians would seriously think what they do in neglecting Means of Grace in their power to use , if they expect any help from God . Nor would I have such a Christian neglect a Sacrament , if he be one that hath formerly declared his Right : These Temptations while yeilded to , are our Misery not our Sin ; who knows whether God may not Bless the Sign and Seal of a Dying Crucified Christ , for them to let them know there is no Reason they should Kill or Crucifie themselves . But above all , let them not omit Constant Fervent Prayer , and that both Ordinarily and more Solemnly . Great is the force of Prayer , it calls in the help of the Almighty ; both for a Deliverance from the Tempter in his own time , and for his Assistance and upholding the Soul while it pleaseth him to keep the Soul , in this Spiritual Combate .

FINIS .

Concerning TEMPTATIONS TO Despair .

CHAP. I.

The Text Gen. 4. 13. considered . The Nature of Despair . The Efficient Causes in Temptations to Despair . Our own Lusts , the Devil . The Devil and our own Lusts working jointly , &c.

OUr Translation Readeth the Text , Gen. 4. 13. My Punishment is greater then I can bear . In your larger Bibles you will find in the Margent it is Read , Mine Iniquity is greater then that it may be forgiven . This Pareus thinks the most proper Reading , That which favoureth our Translation , is what followeth in the next Words : Behold thou hast driven me this day from the Face of the Earth , &c. where he complaineth onely of his Punishment . Either Reading is what the Original will bear , either of them makes the words the Complaint of Cain after he had kill'd his Brother Abel , and God had come down and doomed him for it ; telling him , He was Cursed from the Earth , which had epened her Mouth to receive his Brothers Blood . When he tilled the ground , it should not yield unto him her strength : A Fugitive , and a Vagabond shalt thou be in the Earth . To which Cain replyeth either thus : My Punishment is greater then I can bear . Or , Mine Iniquity is greater then that it can be forgiven . Whether he complaineth of his Sin or of his Punishment ? That 's the onely Question , nor needs it any Decision . Both Readings express the Genius of a Reprobate , who either complaineth of his Punishment , but not of his Sin , or if at any time , he complains of Sin , it is despairing , and without hope of Mercy : Onely I cannot agree with Chrysostome and others , who Interpret these Words into a full Confession of Sin , onely they say it was too late ( but true Repentance is never too late ) I shall in my Discourse consider the Words as you have them in the Margents of your Bibles , designing onely to make use of them to discourse as to the great Temptation to Despair . In my Discourse upon which I shall first Consider ,

1. The Nature of the Temptation in it self . 2. The Tempters inforcing it . 3. The means ordinarily made use of , in the inforcing of it . 4. The most probable means to be used for getting a victory over it . As to the first ,

I have already told you , That every Evil Temptation is a Motion or Solicitation of the Soul to Sin , which when it is more Importune and Impetuous , we usually call a Temptation ; but let us more particularly inquire into the Nature of this Sin of Desperation . Despair in the general Notion of it , signifieth a casting away of all hope , as to the obtaining of some good which we desire ; and so the Object of it may be any good thing of which we are not possest , but may be the Object of our Desires or Hope . Thus we may Despair of Life , as St. Paul did , 2. Cor. 1. 8. of Health , of Success in Business , &c. but in the Notion I am now speaking to , it must he limited to the greatest Spiritual Good , such as Pardon of Sin , Living with God in Glory another day ; &c. And here again we must distinguish betwixt Fear and Despair , for although there be no Despair without high degrees of Fear , yet there may be Fears , great degrees of Fear ( which may produce some Phrases of Despair , or Fits , or Passions of it , where yet there is no fixed Despair : Despair ( in the Notion of it to which I am now speaking ) Is a Souls total , fixed , permanent , Want and Rejection of all Hope , as to the Pardon of Sins in this Life , or any happy Estate in the Life to come . When ( as the Apostle speaks ) there remaineth nothing in the Soul , but a certain dreadful locking for , of Judgment , and fiery Indignation to devour them as the Adversaries of God , Heb. 10. 27. It is an Hell began in the Soul in this Life : It is often attended with D●sperate Impressions , Blasphemy against God , always with intollerable Horrour and Terrour of Conscience : But we are not at present so much Considering it , in the Effects and Issue of it , as in the Nature and first Rise and Beginning of it . The next thing we have to consider is , the Efficient Causes in this great Temptation .

I have shewed you that every Temptation to Sin , is from our own Lust , the Devil , or the World . The Men of the World have rarely any considerable Efficiciency in this Temptation ; it is not often we hear them telling us , That we have sinned beyond hope of Mercy . They rather err on the other hand . The two ordinary Efficient Causes in this Temptation , are our own Lust , and our grand Adversary the Devil .

1. Our own Lust , Our depraved hearts are enough under some circumstances , which we may be under , to suggest to us very unworthy thoughts of God , and highly derogatory to his Honour and Glory . For though in a quiet calm state , our Lust suggests ordinarily other things to us , yet all the Lust that is in our Hearts doth not discover it self at the same hour : We shall find Lusts stirring in us in an hour of Prosperity , of which we shall hear nothing in an hour of great Tribulation and Adversity : And so on the other side , we shall find those Lusts stirring in us in a time of great Affliction and Adversity , which we diseerned little of in the halcyon days of our Prosperity . When Men come to be under great pressures of Afflictions , then those who in Health could think of nothing but their Sensual Satisfactions or Worldly Business , begin to be at leisure to think of Dying , and of the Eternal State of Souls ; and tho ordinarily our Lust enclineth us rather to presume , and groundlesly to prophecy Good rather than Evil to our selves ; yet I do not know but under some circumstances , our Hearts , that of themselves are no better disposed to give God the Glory of his Mercy , then of his Justice may ( though the Devil stand by ) suggest to us black and hard thoughts of God , which may produce Desperation .

2. But where the Impressions are fixed strong , and abiding , and the Soul ( though out-reasoned ) refuseth to be comforted , or to entertain any better thoughts of God , but rather is more stubborn and pertinacious ; and blasphemeth God , I should suspect a great praedominance of a Praeternatural Cause , and the Soul under the Violence of Satan ; for we are naturally inclined to hope well for our selves , and to lay hold of every good word that looketh that way .

3. Possibly , The Devil may also in this Temptation joyn with our own Lusts , and the Temptation may be mixt ; from one or both these Causes are these Temptations , and this sinful Habit is begun and perfected in our Souls .

CHAP. II.

What seeming Good is the bait in this Temptation . To speak the truth of it self . Possibly the serving our Malice upon God . An Examination Whether the Doctrines of Election of Persons , particularly Redemption and Special Grace , conduce to Despair ? The contrary evinced .

THe greatest difficulty is to resolve with what Bait it is possible such an Hook as this is , should be baited ; for whereas the Apostle telleth us ( as I have formerly opened to you ) That every one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own Lust and inticed , it might justly pose an ordinary Reason to imagine , what seeming Good should entice a Soul to cast away all hopes of Happiness from the Mercy of God , all hopes of Eternal Life and Salvation . To conclude it shall go to Hell , and there is no hope for it to the contrary . Can there be so much as the least umbrage and appearance of Good , that should have preference to these hopes in a Soul , under the least conduct of Reason ? I● it true , for a Sensual Despair there may , for that is rooted in A●h●isme and Unbelief of any such thing , as the need of a Pardon for its Sins , or a future happy State , the obtaining of which the Sensual Man seeing limited to the hard Condition ( as he thinks ) of denying himself in all his Sensual Pleasures , he may jocularly conclude , There is no hope for him ( believing no reality in the pretended Objects for his hope ) that he may the more securely cry out with the Epicures , Let us eat and drink , for to morrrow we shall die ; or like them , Jer. 2. 25. When God said to them , With-hold thy Foot from being unshod , and thy Throat from thirst ; said , There is no hope , no , for I have loved Strangers , and after them I will go . But now for a Sorrowful Despair , for a Soul having this Grace and Hell in Prospect , it may look for a great Riddle . What appearing Good should be a Motive to him to conclude there is no Mercy in God for him , no possibility of Eternal Salvation .

1. What if we should say , That the appearing Good , that enticeth him to these thoughts , is , To speak the truth of himself , and not to flatter himself with idle and vain hopes , as he now thinks he hath done too long . You know we are naturally desirous to know our own Fate or Fortunes , as we call them : What shall become of us or betide us in the latter end ? And though we are willing enough sometimes to flatter our selves , yet there is a time when we desire the contrary .

2. Secondly , Is not the appearing Good in some a rooted Malice and Hatred against God , and the Satisfaction of that by deregating from his Goodness and Mercy ? This is indeed of all the most dreadful Account that can be given : That Soul is in the Suburbs of Hell it self , to whom it is a satisfaction , when it can do no more , to Blaspheme and speak Evil of God . I had rather assign the former , as the most ordinary appearance of Good , seducing the Soul into this Guilt . It now pleaseth the Soul that thinks it hath deceived the World so long , by walking in a vain shew , to know and speak the truth of it self , as it thinketh in its Heart , through the Seduction of Sathan ; but still it must be enquired what the Devil can possibly suggest to a Soul to debauch it into such a misapprehension of God , and sad Opinion of it self .

Now there being nothing in Nature that can alienate God from the Soul , but Sin , the guilt of the Soul and its state before God , by reason of Sin , must needs be that and that onely , which the Devil can mount this great Gun upon ; and this is that which Cain saith , Mine Iniquity is greater then it can be forgiven . But before I come to speak of that , let me a little take notice of some other Propositions , which many grave Divines take to be most certain truths , and others think serve the Devil in great stead , in order to his inforcing this great Temptation . Let me digress a little , to judge whether indeed the guilt of those Propositions be according to the cry by which they are accused . They are those concerning the Doctrine of Predestination , Redemption , and the necessity of Special Grace , in order to Salvation . I intend not to argue the truth of the Propositions on either side ( that were too large a Work ) but onely to consider whether the Devil can use , what by some eminent Divines ( as to them ) is asserted , as advantages for this fiery Dart. I remember Scultetus in his Annals , tells us a Story of an honest studious Young Man in Cambridge ( whom 't is believed the Papists made away ) That he was found hang'd in his Study , with his Finger laid upon a Bible , opened before him , upon a Text usually brought to confirm Predestination . But the Fiction obtained not that credit for which it was devised , to induce the World to believe , that his imbracing the Doctrine of Predestination put him upon that desperate Practice . But to the Matter .

1. It is true many great and eminent Divines have thought , That God hath passed an Eternal Decree concerning the future state of all Men and Women , chusing some to Eternal Life , passing by others . Suppose we should put it to the highest pitch , Determining others to Eternal Death . I intend not , as I said before , to dispute what is truth in this ; certain it is , God from oll Eternity fore-knew the Eternal Issues of all , if some can conceive how God should fore-know this without willing it , or be willing not to determine how he fore-knew it , and what that was or could be but the Will of God , which should make a Futurity certain . And others cannot conceive any first cause but God , nor any way of Divine Fore-knowledge , but from his Will and Purpose . It is not my Business to intermingle my self in their Quarrel , but suppose the one Opinion or the other , I would gladly understand what advantage the Devil can take from the one or the other , as to this Temptation . Some Divines indeed do say , That God ordained some to Eternal Life , out of his own good pleasure , in and through Christ , without any consideration of their Faith and good Works fore-seen , as moving him so to predestinate them ; but with all he predestinated them to obtain this Eternal Salvation , in the Exercises of Faith and Holiness , without which they were never to see the Lord . But do any Divines say , That God ordained any to Eternal Death , or passed over any in his Eternal Counsel , who should be damned , otherwise then upon the just demerits of their preceding sins ? Yes , it may be ( will some ignorant Persons say ) they that hold an absolute Decree , hold Election of Persons , and Reprobation of Persons . They do indeed hold an Election of Persons , in the sense I before opened , that the foreseen Faith and Holiness of none moved God to ordain them to Life . They do also believe that God hath a Jus Absolutum , a Soveraign Power over his Creatures , as the Potter over the Clay . But they say that God doth not in the Condemnation of any Sinner use this , but onely useth a Jus Ordinatum , and proceedeth according to his Law . The Soul that sinneth shall Die : Which now being supposed , I would gladly know what Argument Satan draws from hence to perswade any to Despair ? He can Suggest to the Soul , That it is a Reprobate ; and cannot the Soul Answer , That it is more then the Devil knows : That there is no Soul but that which sinneth shall Die ; so that notwithstanding all said upon rhis Argument . The Guilt of Sin is all that remaineth to the Devil to object , to drive unto Despair .

It is true , that concerning the Extent of the Death of Christ , as to Persons , there are various Opinions , some think he equally died f●r all ( a sad Doctrine which gives Judas as much comfort as Peter . ) Others think he purchased a certainty of Salvation for the Elect , but a possibility for all . Others believe he died onely for the Elect. But admitting the last to be true , which some think , to make Redemption conform to the Decree of Election , and not understand how Christ should purchase an impossible possibility , which must be as to some , if there were any that were passed over in the Eternal Purpose , or any to whom God resolved not to give those effectual Aids of his special Grace , necessary in order to those Exercises of Faith and Holiness , by which Salvation must be obtained . But what Market can the Devil make of this ? He can tell them they are not Elected , and so Christ died not f●r them . But the Soul can reply , He was a Lier from the Beginning , and none of Gods Privy Counsellors ; and that its Non-election can onely appear from its prodigious sinnings , continued in to the end without Repentance and Faith in Christ . And the others telling them , Christ died for all , will not relieve them , for Judas notwithstanding that , proved a Son of Perdition , and went to his own place , when he had hang'd himself .

It is also true , that many great Divines do think , none can be saved without the special Grace of God , working together with the Word in their Hearts , and effectually renewing , turning , changing , and sanctifying ; and that this is not in a Mans own Power but the work of God . What advantage now can the Devil make of this Doctrine , to persw●●e the Soul to cast away all hopes of the Mercy of God through Christ , for the pardon of its Sins , and for the obtaining of Eternal Life and Salvation ? He can suggest to the Soul , That God never bestowed upon it this effectual Grace , nor ever will . If he doth not add the later , he saith nothing ; for what Ground have I to cast away all hope if yet there be hope , that although I have not yet repented and believed , yet God will give me his Grace ( though at the Eleventh hour ) that I shall repent , believe , and be saved . Now suppose him to suggest so , How shall he evidence this to me , but from the guilt of my sin or my abiding in it ? It is therefore , that whatever bluster some Sciclists make in the World , to load the Opinions of some great and eminent Divines , with Envy and Obloquy ; yet in very deed , the Devil can urge Despair of the Pardon of Sin , and obtaining Eternal Life , with any colourable reason , upon no Soul but from Sin ; nor indeed do we in our Experience find any thing else stick with Souls in an hour of Temptation . Now here he must either say , Thy Sins are so many they cannot be forgiven ; or , Thou hast sinned so long a time that thou canst not be forgiven ; Thy hour is over , thy time is past ; or , Thou hast sinned some particular sins , which are of so hainous a nature , or so deep a dy , that God will never forgive them . What the Soul may answer to all these , we shall , God willing , by and by consider .

CHAP. III.

Means to prevent Despair . Clear and distinct Knowledge . Taking heed of inveterate Sinnings . Prodigious Sinnings . All Sinnings against Light . Such Sins especially , as come nearest the unpardonable Sin .

YOu have heard the Nature of this Temptation , you have also heard from whence Temptations of this nature come , what seeming good enticeth the Soul to listen to them , and also what Arguments the Tempters have alone to use to inforce them . Let me now come to shew you what is to be done by Christians in order to the repelling and resisting of them . And because , as I told you in my Discourse referring to the former ; Prevention is the best way , let me first advise what is proper to all of us , upon whom this hour of Temptation is not come , that we may never fall into this snare of the Devil .

1. And here let me first commend to you all , a sound and distinct Knowledge of the Truths of God . The Devil in an hour of Temptation , hath a great advantage upon an ignorant Person , above what he hath upon a knowing Christian . Solomon tells us true , That a Soul should be without Knowledge is not good . He that hath a sound and distinct Knowledge of the Nature of God , the Doctrine of Faith , the Covenant of Grace , and the Promises of the Word of God , seldom falls into , or lieth long under this Temptation . How easie a thing it is for the Devil to fright ignorant Souls , with telling them , They are not Elected , that Christ did not die for them , that their Sins are too many or too great , or have been too long continued in to be pardoned ; or that they have not truly repented or believed , or that they have sinned the unpardonable Sin ; or an hundred such things . O do not slight Knowledge , no not a notional Knowledge of the things of God . You are not able to prophecy of what use it will be to your Souls in an hour of Temptation . A knowing Christian may be tempted , and it may be some time before he can get his Hand upon the Sword of the Spirit ( which is the Word of God ) to draw it out for his purpose ; but if he hath it by his side , if he be mighty in the Scriptures , he will have no long work with an Enemy of this kind . I pity such as cannot read , or if they can , yet have lost their time , and not improved it to learn the Scriptures , be acquainted with Catechisms , which should ground them in the Doctrine of Faith . Thou that despisest Knowledge , neglectest , yea , despisest thy own Soul , and all its Peace and Comfort , and seemest to presume upon a Miracle , to be shewed for thee in an hour of Temptation .

2. Secondly , Take heed of going on in a course of Sinning , especially against thy Light and Checks of Conscience . Inveterate Sinning , and prodigious Sinnings , and Sinnings against Light , and Checks of Conscience , and particularly some Sins , and such especially as come nearest to the Sin unto Death , give the Devil very high and great advantages , as to this Temptation .

1. I say first , Inveterate Sinning . When Sin hath grown up with a Man from his youth , he hath lived and walked , and wallowed in it many years , it makes the Devil a great Market . We find it hard to believe that God , who can have from us but the homage of a few days or hours , will forgive us the Sins of so many years . It is rare that old Sinners are brought to Repentance and Converted , you shall most generally observe , that if God changeth a Man or Womans Heart , it is either in their Youth , or middle Age , seldom in Child-hood , and seldom in Old Age ; and if in Old Age , they are ordinarily infested with great Temptations . Take heed of Sin growing Old in thy Soul : An old habit is hardly put off . How can you that are accustomed to do Evil , do Well ? An old Ulcer is hardly Cured ; beware of growing Old in any Sin .

Secondly , Take heed of any kind of prodigious Sinning . There are degrees in Sin , all Sin is not of the same dy or magnitude . There are some Sins that more waste Conscience than others ; now observe this , The greater Violence is done to our Conscience by any Sins , the more Advantage the Devil hath from the guilt of them to raise a Temptation to Despair . For although it is as easie with God to Pardon the greatest Sins as the smallest , yet we shall not find it so easie to believe that God will forgive the greatest Sins as the smallest , and so the Devil hath the greater advantage from the Reflection upon them , to run us out of a Hope of the Divine Mercy . Fear all Sin , but above all take heed of notorious Acts of Impiety against God , or Unrighteousness toward Men.

3. Thirdly , Take heed of all Sinning against Light ; indeed against any Light , whether it be that of Nature or Revelation . Take heed of Sinning against those common Notions of Piety and Righteousness , which are Planted in all by Nature ; against the Common Illuminations of the Holy Spirit , by the Preaching of the Word of God ; against the Admonitions of Parents or Governours , against the reflex Light of your own Conscience . Sins against the direct or reflex Light of Conscience , do often Cause a very great Darkness , which is felt in the Soul ; for though in the heat and madness of our Pasnons in our Youth , we sometimes run down Conscience , and it keepeth silence a while ; yet it often recoileth , and reproveth the Sense , and setteth its Sins in order before it ; and shews them to it , to a very great disadvantage , and these are a kind of Sins which the Tempter often hangs much upon , in order to promove Despair , and putting the Soul out of Hope of Mercy .

4. Particularly take heed of such Sinnings as border nearest upon the Sin unto Death ; you know that Christ hath told us , That all Sin and Blasphemy , shall be forgiven , onely the Sin against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven : And the Apostle hath told us ; That there is a Sin unto Death , for which he did not direct the Christians to Pray , that it might be forgiven their Brethren . Now Divines have much exercised themselves in the finding out what this Unpardonable Sin is , nor is it to this day well determined , nor shall I undertake to determine what it is , or whether it be any single Sin yea or no. We find in experience , that the Tempter often maketh use of this Suggestion to drive a Soul to Despair , telling it , that it hath sinned this Sin , and therefore there is no hope for it : The vanity of which appears from the Souls thus tempted , usual Ignorance : What the Sin against the Holy Ghost is ( as to which indeed the most Judicious Divines have been much at lo●s to determine ) or what comes nearest to it , upon the Light we have from Scripture to help us to make a determination of it ; but though we cannot punctually determine in the Case , and it be much more easie to determine what it is not , then what it is ; yet we have Light enough from Scripture , to shew us what sinning comes nearest to it , and it is ill treading upon the brink of such a Pit . That Text , Heb. 6. v. 4 , 5 , 6. instructeth us thus far . That it must be the Sin of an Enlightened Soul , one upon whom the Light of the Gospel hath Shined , and who hath tasted something of the Heavenly Gift , and been in some Measure made Partaker of the Holy Ghost , and Tasted the good Word of God , and the Powers of the World to come , and after this falleth away . From whence these things follow , That Heathens who never heard of God nor Christ , cannot be Guilty of this Sin , no nor titular Christians , who never made any profession of Religion or Godliness , nor had any degrees of Godliness : They must be such as have been Enlightened , Tasted of the good Word , the Heavenly Gift , and the Powers of the World to come , and after this shall fall away : Yet it is plain , that all sinning against Gospel Light and Spiritual Illumination , all degrees of falling away from the profession of this Truth , is not this Sin . The Apostle Heb. 10. 26. and 29. v. seemeth as to this Sin , to instruct us further ; for he is there speaking of some , for whom there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sin , but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation , which shall devour the Adversaries : Now who are these ? v. 26. Such as Sin wilfully , after they have received the Knowledge of the Truth , v. 29. Such as tread under foot the Son of God , and count the Blood of the Covenant , wherewith he was Sanctified , an unholy thing , and do despite to the Spirit of Grace . And this also agreeth with that Phrase , Heb. 6. v. 6. Where the Apostle giving a Reason why they cannot be renewed by Repentance , assigneth this , Seeing they Crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh , and put him to open shame ; so that it should seem that to make up this Sin , to Apostacy after Illumination , or at least having received sufficient Means of Illumiation and making some Profession , there must be added , some eminent Affront done to , or Abuse of the Lord Jesus Christ , and the Spirit of Grace , either by Word or Deed ; and therefore our Saviour calleth it Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost : Consonant to this is what the Gospel tells us of this Sin , you have the first mention of it , Matth. 12. 31. If you look into v. 24. you shall find , That Christ having healed one that was possessed with the Devil , who was both Blind and Dumb , and People upon that recognizing him as the true Messias ; saying , v. 23. Is not this the Son of David ? the Pharises said , This Fellow doth cast out Devils , by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils . Christ confuteth them , and vindicateth himself by this Argument , easily to be diserned and made up from v. 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30. I either cast out Devils ( as you say ) by the Prince of Devils , or by the Power of God . I will make it out that I do it not by the Prince of Devils , 1. For this were a Ruin to Satans Kingdom ; if one Devil could be employed or would be employed in casting out another , the Devils Kingdome would be quickly at an end , it could not stand . 2. Again ( saith he ) not I onely , but your Children in my name cast them out ( for there were some Exorcists amongst the Jews , who were the Children ( that is the Disciples of the Pharises ) who though they followed not Christ , yet used his Name to cast out Devils ; as you shall find , Mar. 9. 38. where John telleth Christ , Master , we saw one casting out Devils in thy Name , and he followeth not us , and we forbade him , because he followeth not us ; and as you shall read , v. 39. Christ allowed it , the like you find , Luk. 9. 48 , 49. So did the Sons of Sceva , Acts 19. 12. Now the Jews did not accuse those of acting by the Devil , but from the Power of God ; from hence he concludeth , That he did not cast out Devils , as they malitiously charged him , by the help of the Devil , and that they were themselves otherwise convinced in their own Consciences ; therefore he did it by the Spirit of God , and by that they could not but know that the Kingdom of God was come amongst them ; and so they spake Evil of God , and the Spirit of God , and that out of Malice , contrary to the Conviction of their own Consciences : Now saith he , Take heed what you do , this is a kind of Sin which God will never forgive , though all other Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven ; yet for you knowing that what I do I do as God , and by the Power and Spirit of God , to Persecute me , and to Repraoch me , and that you may the better do it to ascribe that to the Devil , which is , the Work of God done by me ; this is a Sin which shall never be forgiven : So that according to our Saviours Words , this seemeth to be the Sin , That the Pharises knowing well enough that Christ was God , Eternal God , and having sufficient means to convince them of it , and that from his Casting out of Devils , and several other Miraculous Operations which it was in the Power of God onely to do : Notwithstanding yea against this Conviction , Maliciously Persecuted the Lord Jesus Christ , and denied these mighty Operations to be from the Spirit of God , but said they were from Beelzebub the Master Devil . From hence will appear , though not distinctly , what the Specifical Sin against the Holy Ghost is , yea what Sins border upon it and come nearest to it .

1. All Sinning against Light and Convictions .

2. Apostacy from a former Profession and owning of the Gospel , and the Holy Ways of God .

3. A Malicious Pursuing and Persecuting of such as our Consciences tells us are Righteous Persons .

4. An Ascribing to the Devil what we are Convinced of to be the Works of God , and so reproaching the Operations of the Spirit of God , whatsoever the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost be . These things or the most of them , must be ingredients into it ; and truly if Persons have been enlightened with the Knowledge of the Truths and Ways of God , and have made some Profession of them , and have had some Savour of them , if they fall away from that Profession , and that to such a degree , as not onely to disown what themselves formerly owned , but to hate those Truths and Ways of God , and to Persecute such as still Profess them , and adhere to them , and charge those Impressions and Operations which are from the Holy Spirit of God , to be from the Devil ; so Blaspheming the Holy Spirit of God ; if there be such an unpardonable Sin to be commited , surely these are under the guilt of it ; nor can I see any thing can possibly free them from the dreadful Consequence of it , but a timely Repentance ; remembring their first professed Love , and turning unto God ; which whosoever can do , or shall obtain Grace from God to do , undoubtedly hath not sinned beyond Pardon ; for he that confesseth his Sins and forsaketh them , shall have Mercy : But ( as I said before ) these Sins comes nearest this Guilt , and where any Soul hath been , or shall be in this kind , and to this degree guilty ; the Devil hath a very fair Advantage against him , to move him to Despair , upon a Suggestion that he hath committed that Sin , which according to the Revealed Will of God in Holy Writ , shall never be forgiven ; nor will he find any way to get out of this Snare , nor any thing to answer the Tempter , pressing hard upon him with a Temptation of this Nature , until he can say , I have indeed done this , but God hath given me an Heart to Repent of it , to remember from whence I fell , and to do my first Works ; and he will find it as hard for him to recover any just hopes of Pardon , and Eternal Life and Salvation , as he will find it to be renewed by Repentance ; if the latter be found impossible to a Soul under these Circumstances , so will the former also be found . O therefore to prevent Temptations of this nature , take heed of all sinning of any continuance , and going on in a course of Sin , especially of any sinnings against Light and Convictions , or against former Professions ; and especially of any Malice and Hatred to the ways of God , which you either have formerly owned and acknowledged , or which your Consciences tell you are the right ways of the Lord .

3. Thirdly , Let me again commend to you an Acquaintance , a through Acquaintance with the Covenant of Grace , and the Dispensation of Salvation revealed to us in the Gospel . The Despairing Soul hath ordinarily a Legal Spirit , and sticks in the Covenant of Works . Remember that we are not under the Law b●t under Grace ; in some sense , not onely true Believers , but even the whole World , or at least that part of it , to which the glad Tidings of Salvation , through the Gospel , is published , is not under the Law but under Grace , not under a Legal Dispensation , So as none can be saved without a personal perfect Obedience to the Law of God ; but under a gracious Dispensation , wherein ( as the Apostle saith , Rom. 1. 17. The Righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith , that is , wherein it is revealed ; that the Righteousness wherein a Man must stand , Just and Righteous before God , is not his own Righteousness made up of his Obedience to the Commandements contained in the Divine Law , but the perfect Righteousness of Christ , by God reckoned unto every Soul that repenteth and believeth in the Lord Jesus Christ , who walketh not after the Flesh but after the Spirit , minding and savouring the things of the Spirit ; which Righteousness of Christ is reckoned to the Soul as soon as it comes to own , receive , and lay hold upon Christ in the Gospel , exhibited and tendered unto it . The Soul well possessed of the Doctrine of Free Grace , and Gospel Justification , though it may see frequent Causes for Heart-sorrow , and Humiliation , as well for its former as for its renewing Sins , yet cannot easily see the umbrage of any ground to Despair , and cast away its hope as to Divine Mercy and Forgiveness , or Eternal Life and Salvation . But I have elsewhere enlarged upon this Argument .

4. Fourthly , If you would avoid Temptations to Despair , take heed of presuming . You shall observe in the Tempers of those with whom you converse in the World , That those whose hopes are most quickly up , find them also soonest down : The reason is , because they are persons that usually have no great depth of judgement , and do not build their hopes upon good and sufficient bottoms . So that as it is with some little Rivolets , whose Channel is but a small continent , and which want depth , every good showr of Rain raiseth them , and causeth them to overflow the Banks ; but then , the same degree of Rain not continuing , they are as quickly down : So it is with these Men , a little thing raiseth their hopes , and a little thing again sinketh them . Thus it is in the great business of Hope , as to the Pardon of Sin , and obtaining Eternal Salvation . Some Persons build up Hopes upon very light and unjustifiable Grounds ; their Hope is indeed but a Presumption , like the Grass that groweth upon the House Tops , which a little Heat of the Sun killeth . But other Souls build up their Hopes upon more sure and wary Foundations , which are not so soon shaked . We use to say , that we are certain of nothing more than what we have sometimes been uncertain of . We are commanded to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling , and to rejoyce with trembling . Those Souls that have gained their Hope by the Conquest of many Doubts and Fears , and Jealousies , do not easily lose it ; whereas those who have hatched it up with more ease , seldom keep it in an hour of Temptation .

5. I know not what more to advise besides Frequent Self-Examination , clos● walking with God , and diligent and constant Prayer . Let me inlarge a little upon these : I say First , Frequent Self-Examination . It is the Apostles Precepts , Examine your selves , prove your selves , whether you be in the Faith or no ; 2 Cor. 13. 5. Whether we live by Hope or Sight , ( I mean Assurance ) this is highly necessary for that Soul , that would maintain the one or the other . Two things I would have Christians much Examine themselves upon : 1. The Grounds and Reasons of their Hope . 2. The Abatements and Discouragements of them .

1. As to the Grounds of their Hope , which ( if good ) must always be bottomed in some Piece of Divine Revelation ; for Pardon of Sin , and Eternal Life , being both of them the free Gift of God ; it is unreasonable to hope for either , but upon the Revelation of the will of him in whose Gift they are . In examining therefore the Truth and Ground of your Hope , trust to nothing but some portions of the Word of God , which though it doth not tell you by name whose Sins are pardoned , and whose are not , who shall be saved and who shall perish , it doth tell you , what must be wrought in the Hearts of those whose Sins are Pardoned , and how they must live that shall ever see the Face of God in Heaven ; there 's no trusting to your Interest in God , as he that made you , nor yet to Christ dying for all Men ; no nor yet to any Merits or Works of your own . God hath no where said , that he will save all those whom he hath Created , nor all those who believe Christ died for all Men ; no , nor yet all those that do some things , that are as to the Matter of them good , and such , as if Men do not , they cannot see God . I shall not here run into particulars , but in the general I shall tell you , that there is nothing but the Revelation of the Will of God in his Word , and the experimental finding that God hath wrought those things in your Souls , which he in his Word hath made necessary , in order to obtaining Pardon and Eternal Salvation , that is in this Case to be trusted to . Often therefore examine your selves upon these Points , 1. What God in his Word hath made necessary to the obtaining of Pardon and Salvation . 2. The Work of God upon your Hearts , Creating and Working , and Maintaining , these Habits and Exercises in your Souls . Nay , do not onely this , but examine your selves also about the holding or abating of your Hopes ; the Increase or Decrease , and Discouragements of them in your Souls . A faint decaying , weakening Hope , if not lookt to , will grow more and more faint and weak every day than other , till it putrisieth into Despair . Now the force of this lies here , The decays and abatements of our Hope , are caused either from some Relapses into Sin , or from some eminent with-drawings of the Holy Spirit of God , which uphold and maintaineth it in a Soul . And a daily examination or frequent examination of our selves how it is with us , as to our Spiritual hope , will put the Soul both upon frequent Acts of Repentance , as it discerneth that its hope is abated by the prevailings of its Lusts , and also upon frequent Prayers , begging the revivings and upholdings of it from the Spirit of God .

2. Live in close Communion with God . I propounded to you before the avoiding of Sin , all Sin , but some especially , to prevent Temptations to Despair . But this is something more , we are at first begotten to a lively Hope , by the Word upon fervent Prayer , &c. and this Hope is maintained in the Soul , by the same means by which it is first begotten and bred in the Soul . I told you before that we must find the ground and bottom of our Hope in the Word of God . Now Preaching ( where it is done sincerely and faithfully ) is nothing else but an Explication and Application of the Word of God , an Interpretation of the Word to our Souls , and a whetting of it upon our Souls ; and therefore in reason a consciencious Attendance upon it , must necessarily be a means to confirm and strengthen our Hopes , and to antidote Despair : Nor certainly can often Communion in the Lords Supper be useless , but contrariwise of very great use ; for the Lord in that Ordinance having added a Sign to his Word for the confirmation of our Faith , it must needs be a proper means to strengthen and increase our Hope . In short , All Communion with God , whether it be more Internal by Meditation , and the secret Exercises of the Power of our Souls upon God , or more External , in such Duties as God hath prescribed us to perform an Homage to him by , must be of great use to our Souls in this case . For the more Freedom and Acquaintance we have with God , the more we be with him ; the truer and more just Apprehensions we shall have of him , and the more we shall understand the loving Kindness of God . Now all Despair floweth from unjust and unkind Apprehensions and Impressions of God , and from a too great an estrangement from him . It is true , those that know the Lords Name , will trust in him , and hope in his Mercy .

But above all , be much in Prayer , that obtaineth all Grace , all Mercy from God ; the beginnings of it , the growth and encrease of it , &c. But I shall add no more upon this Subject , directing you to what I judge most proper to prevent in the Soul Fits , or more settled Habits of Despair ; and certainly , it is most advisable to keep Satan at a distance , and more easie to oppose the first Assaults , or avoid giving him advantages to it , than to grapple with it .

CHAP. IV.

What Despairing Souls should do . They ought to consult the Physician , if no Bodily Distemper gives a rise to such dark Thoughts . What Business they have with God : No Argument sufficient to warrant Despair . Sometimes none pleaded . The usual Arguments pleaded , From our many Sins . The greatness of them . Our Inveterateness in them . Our Sinning against the Holy Ghost . None of these sufficient . The greatness of the Sin of Despair shewn , in what it implieth ; what it is attended with , and produceth . 4. Other Directions for Souls thus tempted .

THus far I have discoursed you , in order to the prevention of these Assaults . Possibly as to some this Counsel may come too late ; they may already find in their Souls Thoughts tending to Despair . The next Question is , What shall these do ? Or indeed rather , what shall be said to , or done for those , for their Support , Relief , or Deliverance ? I know but three things that can be done for such a Soul : 1. The First is , With the Physician of the Body , who is Gods Ordinance ; the Means he hath appointed by which he healeth our Bodies . 2. The Second is with God , who alone hath a Power paramount to Sathan , and alone can find , a way to our Hearts , and make powerful Impressions upon them . 3. The Third is with the Party Tempted , to perswade him or her , of the unreasonableness of the Temptation ; the contrary Revelation of the Will of God in Scripture , and the use of Means , Natural , Moral , and Religious , for the support of him or her self ; and the bringing him or her self out of this horrible Pit . Under these three Heads I shall bring my whole remaining Discourse upon this Argument . 1. The first thing , I say , is to be done in this Case , relates to the Physician . It is a thing that we find very difficult , to perswade Souls under these circumstances to believe ; nay , many others too , less knowing Christians , that there is any thing of Bodily Distemper in the case : But there is nothing more true , nothing that is more ordinarily experimented . God forbid that we should think that all Despairing Thoughts and Expressions , are the Effects of a Natural Cause , a disordered Body or Head . The contrary is evident , but that in many they are so ; I was about to say , that in the most they are so ; and that where they are not simply and singly the Effects of those Causes , they are yet highly advantaged and improved by the Concurrence of such Bodily Distempers , is most evident , to those who have any Experience in these things , either from what they have found in themselves , or observed from their converse with , and ministring unto , those that have lien under these great Burthens . And there can be no greater Argument for this , then the frequent Experiences we have of Persons , that in the beginning of these Distempers have had them removed , by the use of Natural Means : Not that God is to be neglected , for admitting these Fits of Despair , to be but the products of a Natural Cause , by the ill influence that some disordered peccant Humours of the Body have upon the Mind ; disposing it to Fears and Jealousies , Suspicious Diffidence , and Distrust . Yet it is God that must heal us , by his giving a Blessing upon Means ; but the Question is not about the Principal Efficient Cause in the Cure , which must be God ; but concerning the Means to be used , and in the use of which God is to be sought , and his Assistance expected . Therefore , I say , the first thing to be done in these Cases , is consulting with the Physician , about the Health of our Bodies , and that with an Able and Experienced Physician ; for it is an exceeding weighty Case , with reference to our Good and well Being . Nor ought any Means to be neglected , which such a one shall direct for bringing our Bodies into a right Order ; not yet to be used without solemn Applications to God ; begging both his Direction of them , and his Blessing upon them . Nor ought this to be delayed , for none knoweth the Effects of such Disorders as these , and how quick a growth such Beginning Distempers oft times have . But this is one of the first things I should advise in such a Cause as this is .

2. Secondly , Such a Soul hath also a greal deal of business to do with God : The Nature of which must be determined , according to what it findeth to have given the first rise and cause to these Thoughts : If it findeth that some Bodily Distempers hath given the first rise and cause to these dark and ill concluding Thoughts : Our business with God lies , 1. In begging Gods Direction of us unto the Use , and Blessing upon us in the use of such Means , as are proper , and he will Bless unto the Healing of us , and the Deliverance of us from so great a Burthen ; that he who ministreth unto us , may not have a miscarrying hand . 2. That he would please to command the Means used to exert and put forth that Vertue which he hath created in them for the producing that Effect we desire , and for the obtaining of which we make use of them . 3. That in the mean time he would please so to influence and to support our Souls , that our Bodily Distempers may have no such ill Influence upon our Minds , as to be occasions to us of dishonouring God , by entertaining any unworthy Thoughts of the Divine Majesty , Mercy , and Goodness . If we find that these black and dark Thoughts arise in us , or in any others , from any other Cause , whether our own Reflexions upon our former Sinful Courses , or some particular guilt of Sin upon us : Our Business is still with God by Prayer , for it is he alone , that can Pardon Sin , that can give Eternal Life and Salvation , and that can beget in the Soul a lively Hope , as to such Pardon , and obtaining Eternal Life and Salvation ; that can Bless any Spiritual Means to be used in order to the obtaining of any of these ; but here the matter of Prayer and of our Petitions to God , must be of another Nature . That which the Soul in this Cause hath to do with God , is 1. To confess its Sin unto God , and to begg of God a broken and contrite Heart , that it may confess and bewail its Sin as it ought to do : When saith David , Psal. 32. v. 3 , 4. I kept silence , my Bones waxed old , through my roaring all the day long ; for day and night thine hand was heavy upon me : my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer . I acknowledged my Sin unto thee , and mine Iniquity I have not hid ; I said I will confess my Transgressions unto the Lord , and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin . 2. He hath a further Work with God ; viz. To begg of him the Pardon of his Sin , and the begetting in his Soul a lively Hope in his Mercy and Godness . It is God , 1 Pet. 1. 3. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ , which according to his abundant Mercy , begetteth the Soul to a lively Hope , by the Resurection of Jesus Christ from the Dead , to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled , and that fadeth not away , reserved in the Heavens for us . 3. Thirdly to begg of God a Blessing upon all Means in order to this end , whether the reading , or the hearing of the Word , or any Spiritual Conference with Ministers , or knowing and experienced Christians , who are able to speak a word in season for the Relief of Souls that are weary and heavy laden with the sense of their Sins .

3. A third Work to be done for the Relief of Souls under this fore Temptation , is with the Persons themselves that are Tempted ; and that is , to perswade them , or for such poor Souls to perswade themselves , of the unreasonableness of those conclusions which they make against themselves . Now upon this suffer me to inlarge a little in an endeavour to demonstrate the little force that can be in any Argument , that such a Soul can bring against it self in this Case ; and in shew-you the exceeding sinfulness of this Sining of Despair , in the first place let me desire such a Soul to Consider ; 1. That there is no Argument sufficient to warrant it to cast away all Hope in God , as to the pardon of its Sin , and the obtaining Eternal Life and Salvation through Christ . The one of these dependeth upon the other . For if there be no Argument sufficient to convince such a Soul , that its Sins shall never be forgiven , there can be no Argument sufficient to convince it , that it shall certainly be Damned ; or that it is a Reprobate : for Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is he whose Iniquities are forgiven , and whose Sins are covered , and to whom the Lord imputeth not Transgression . A Pardoned Sinner cannot Perish , that is certain : If therefore no Reason can be brought sufficient to prove that God will never Pardon me ; none can be brought sufficient for me to conclude from it , That God will not Save me .

1. Sometimes Souls under these Circumstances , will plead no Argument at all , onely they have such a fixed Impression and Perswasion upon their Hearts they know it , they are sure of it , &c. and this is all you can get from it . But as the Apostle saith in another Case , Gal 5. 8. This perswasion cometh not from him that calleth you . Impressions upon our Spirits are no Oracles , nor must be taken for Arguments : Impressions or Perswasions are either from the Holy Spirit of God , or Perswasions hatcht up in our Souls by their own Powers ; or they are from the Evil Spirit : Impressions indeed from the Spirit of God cannot deceive , they are infallible , but so are not these : Can ( think you ) this Perswasion be from him that every where in his Word calleth upon Men , to Sinners , to all sorts and degrees of Sinners , to Repent and Beleeve , to wash themselves and make themselves Clean ; telling them that if their Sins were as Scarlet , they shall be as Snow ; if as Crimson , they shall be as white as Wooll ; that he will have Mercy upon them , and abundantly Pardon them ? Jsaiah 55. 6 , 7. Can he that calleth Sinners , all Sinners that are weary and heavy laden , to come unto him , Promising them Rest for their Souls ? I say can they possibly think that he hath perswaded them that they shall never obtain Pardon ? It must therefore remain , that these Perswasions in whatsoever Souls they are found , must either be bred in the Soul from its own Corruption , or brought into the Soul by Satan . Let them be from which of these two Causes they will , they are very far from being certain and infallible . The Heart of Man is deceitful above all things , and the Devil was a Liar from the Beginning . Time was , it is possible , when the Devil drove a quite contrary Design , and sang a quite other Song , to incourage the Soul in a course of Sin ; suggesting to it , that Pardon was an easie thing , and might be obtained without difficulty ; however he hath changed his Note now , he is pursuing but the same Design , that is , the Ruin of the Soul , though it be by a quite contrary Method . But it is not always that a Soul under this Temptation talketh at this irrational rate , ordinarily it hath something to say , though nothing sufficient to build such a Conclusion upon ; and as I hinted to you before , all that the Devil , or a Mans own Heart can say in the case , is either , 1. That our Sins are too many to be forgiven . Or , 2. That they have been aggravated with some circumstances , to that degree , that they cannot be forgiven . Or , 3. That the time is past , we have gone on in them too long to be forgiven . Or , 4. That we have committed some particular Sins of too deep a dy to be washed out . If we can but drive out the Devil from these Refuges , we shall leave him nothing to say to a Soul to advantage this Temptation .

1. As to the First , That our Sins are too many to be forgiven . This Suggestion either hath no bottom at all , or if it hath any , it must be this : That the Promises of Grace , and the Forgiveness of Sins , are limited to a certain number of Sins ; for if they be not , upon what colourable pretence doth the Devil endeavour to baffle the Hope of any Soul , by whispering to it , That its Sins are too many to be forgiven ; if God hath no where said , he will not pardon a multitude of Sins , to what purpose , or upon what pretence shall a Soul Despair , because of the multitude of its Iniquities ? But where in the whole Book of God shall a troubled Soul find any line to this purpose : A Souls hope for Pardon dependeth upon the Word of God , and in reason must not the Limitations ( if any be of that hope ) be found in the Word of God too ; or are they not in all reason to be rejected , as the Fictions of our own Hearts , or Figments of our grand Adversary the Devil ? Where the Word of God limiteth not the Will of God , upon what grounds do we limit it ? Methinks in this case the whole Trinity speaketh unto us , in the Language that St. Paul spake to the Corinthians , in another Cause ; 2 Cor. 6. 11 , 12. Oye , Corinthians ( saith he ) our Mouth is opened unto you , our Heart is inlarged : You are not straitned in us , you are straitned in your own Bowels . Some thinks the Holy Trinity speaketh to us in the whole tenor of the Sacred Writing , O you troubled Sinners , you Despairing Souls , our Mouth is opened to you , to call those that have abundantly sinned to our abounding Mercies . Our Heart is enlarged , you are not straitned in me ( saith the Father of Mercies ) I have infinite Mercies , Mercies as the Sands which is on the Sea-shore . You are not straitned in me ( saith the Son ) I have an infinite Value and Vertue in my Blood ; it is sufficient in it self for the Expiation of the Sins of the whole World , and every individual Man and Woman in the World . You are not straitned in me ( saith the Holy Spirit ) I after a multitude of Sinnings , stand yet at the door of your Hearts and knock , and cry , if any Man will open , he shall come in and s●p with me ; yea , let them do what in them lieth , I am ready to add my Efficacy , to give Faith , and to give Repentance , and this after a multitude of Sins . You are not straitned in me , where then are Sinners straitned ? Oh they are straitned in their own Bowels . They cannot find in their Hearts to consider their ways , to humble their Soul for their sins , to leave them , and to turn unto God : Thus are they straitned in their own Bowels , and they will not come to Christ that they might have Life .

2. Secondly , To this Suggestion doubtless we are to oppose what the Scripture speaketh of , the multitude and abundance of Divine Mercies , Psal. 134. 18. If I should count them ( saith Holy David ) they are more in number than the Sand. So Isaiah 55. v. 6 , 7. Let him return unto the Lord , and he will have mercy upon him , unto his God , for he will abundantly pardon . Thus you often read in Scripture , of a multitude of Mercies , tender Mercies in God ; Psal. 5. 7. I will come into thy House in the multitude of thy Mercies . So Psal. 51. 1. Have Mercy upon me , O God , according to thy loving kindness ; according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies , blot out my Transgressions . So Psal. 69. 13. Mercy in God is but one thing , it is the Goodness of God looking upon one in Misery , and helping and relieving him : what do we read of a multitude of Mercies , certainly it either signifies Gods multiplied Acts of Goodness , which are several Branches springing out of the same Root of Goodness and Mercy ; or else the term is used , to signifie unto us , that there is a Goodness in God proportionated to the multitudes of Sin and Misery that are in us . To what end do we read of multitudes of Mercies in God , if it were not to relieve us groaning under multitudes of Sins .

3. Again consider , It is the same thing with God to pardon multitudes of Sins as few ; yea , he never pardoneth the Sins of any one Soul , but he pardons a multitude . God must vail his Justice , and deny himself in his Vindicative Justice to pardon one Sin . There is no one Sin , but hath a kind of infiniteness in it , or rather contracts an infinite Guilt ; for every Sin which we commit , is against an infinite God , against infinite Justice and Goodness ; and nothing but infinite Goodness can remit it and pass it by . And an infinite Remission as easily extendeth to a multitude of Sins as to a few ; so that as that good Prince said unto God in the recognition of his Power , It is easie with thee to save by many as by few . So we may say in the case before us , It is as easie with God to save from many , from the guilt of many , many thousands of Sins , as from the guilt of a few ; especially ( which I should have put in ) considering there is also an infiniteness in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , in the Redemption Price that is paid ; if indeed that had been scant , something might have been colourably objected ; but that is commensurate to the Goodness that is in God . The Person that died for our Sins , was God-man , an infinite Person ; his Blood was of infinite Vertue , as to Satisfaction . Indeed the Papists strain a great deal too far , to say , That the least Drop of Christs Blood was sufficient to ransome a World . That is an idle Monkish Hyberbole , for there must be a powring out of his Life , so much of his Blood shed , as should have determined his Life : But that there is a Nuda Sufficientia ( we are not speaking now of the Sufficientia Ordinata , how far Christ ordained it to be sufficient ) but that , I say , there was a bare and naked Sufficiency in the Death of Christ ; for more than it shall ever be applied to . This must be granted by all , who will acknowledge an infiniteness in Christs Person . Nor yet shall the Papists from hence augment their Churches Treasury to the value of a Farthing . Christ never left the Redundancy of the Vertue of his Death to humane Disposal : the Vertue of his Blood ( as to all those who shall by it have any Benefit ) was ordered and disposed of from before the Foundation of the World ; even from the time that the L●mb was first slain in Gods Eternal Counsels . Let them look to answer the Papists in this Point , who maintain Universal Redemption in the latitude of it . But I add farther under this Head , That God never pardoneth Sin to any Soul but he pardoneth a multitude . It is true , there is not a parity in Men and Womens Sins , either as to the quality or quantity ; but , I say , God never pardons any but multitudes of Sins : The Righteous falleth seven times in a day . Sin is in every Soul , and it may say , Our Name is L●gion , for we are many . If multitudes of Sins could not be pardoned , no Sinner could be pardoned .

2. Temptation . But then , saith the Tempter , or the tempted Soul ( if you will ) Ah , but my Sins have received very high and great Aggravations : I have sinned against Light , against Love ; I knew I ought not to do what I did ; I was warned by Ministers , checkt by my own Conscience , otherwise moved by the Spirit of God . I had Mercies above thousands of others ; I sinned against all , &c. To which I answer .

1. This is indeed a very sad circumstance , a load of this nature doth often lie very heavy upon the Conscience ; and a guilt of this nature , requireth a further and deeper Humiliation , Confession , Contrition ; but the Question is , Whether such Sins be capable of a Pardon , yea or no ? If they be capable of Forgiveness from a gracious God , all this is no ground for thee to Despair , and cast away Hope ; refusing to be comforted .

2. If they be not capable of Pardon , it must be so determined in Scripture . Now the Revelation of God in his Holy Word , hath no where determined , that no Person that hath sinned against his Light shall be forgiven : and we ought not to conclude to our own Prejudice and Discouragement , as to an Act of God , what he hath no where in his Word revealed .

3. Thirdly , There is no Sinner pardoned , but hath sinned against his Light and against Love ; so that the Question seemeth not to be about the Thing , but about the Degree : not whether one who hath sinned against Light and Love can be Pardoned , but whether one who hath sinned against so much Light , and so much Love , can be forgiven ; and it will be very hard for thee to as●ign Sinnings against such Degrees of Light and Love , as none ever sinned against and were saved . There are in Scripture great instances of Pardoned Sinners , who yet sinned against great Degrees of Light and Love too . Take but the instances of David and Peter ; David was a Man of much Light , he was , you know , one of the Pen-men of Holy Writ ; he was a Man much beloved of God , he is stiled , The Man according to Gods own Heart : God mindeth him of how much he had done for him , taking him from the Sheep-folds , and making him King over Israel and Judah ; giving his Masters Crowns , Houses and Wives ; yea , and ( as he tells him ) was ready to have done greater things for him ; against all this he sinned in the matter of Bathsheba , and in the matter of Uriah : It is true , this cost him many Tears , many Prayers , yet he obtained Mercy . Peter was a Man of great Light , and had been made the Object of great Love ; Christ had said to him , Thou art Peter , and upon this Rock will I build my Church ; yet this Peter cursed and sware , and denied his Master , and after this , when he had gone out and wept betterly , Christ remembred him ; and I doubt not but you believe Peter is in Heaven . Thou canst not say , that thou hast sinned against greater Light , or greater Love , than these two eminent Saints in Glory sinned against . To have sinned out our Light indeed , that is , to such a degree as we have no more Checks , no more Rebukes of Conscience , this is very sad , and the Interpretations of it be to the Enemies of God . To be past Feeling , that is sad , but by thy Trouble and Complaining it appeareth that is not thy Case : but it is plain that many have sinned against Light much Light , and against much Love too , whom God hath from the infiniteness of his Mercy forgiven and rereceived up to Glory .

3. Temptation . But will such a Soul say , It is true , had I in time turned unto God there might have been hope , but alas , time is past ; time is past with me : had I turned to God in my Youth , but I am in the declining part of my Life ; God hath said , His Spirit shall not always strive with Man . The Fig-tree was Cursed after Three years in vain expecting Fruit. God hath a long time been looking for Fruit of my Soul , and hath found none : I have sinned wilfully , after I had received the Knowledge of the Truth , there remaineth now ( I fear ) no more Sacrifice of Sin , but a certain fearful looking for of Judgement and fiery Indignation , which shall devour the Adversaries ; Heb. 10. 26 , 27. To which , I say ,

1. This is indeed a very sad and bitter Reflection , and I desire that such Complaints as these , when we hear them , may be sanctified , to all that have time before them , to take heed how they mispend it and trifle it away ; but where this Counsel is too late , the Question that we have in hand , is , Whether there be a sufficient Warrant for a Souls Despair .

2. The sadness ( Secondly ) of this Case is aggravated , from the appearances of Scripture for this Temptation . It is generally held by Divines , That as Countries and Nations have their Periods of Grace , so particular Persons have their Days of Grace too , and Periods , beyond which Gods Spirit shall not strive with them ; and it appeareth by that Text , Heb. 10. That there is a wilful Sinning after the Knowledge of the Truth , after which there will remain no Sacrifice for Sin . But what that degree of wilful Sinning is , and how it must be circumstanced , that is another Question ? But to speak more directly to the Temptation .

1. In the first place , I would have thee scriously consider , Whether the Freeness of Divine Grace in the Remission of Sins , be duly thought of by thee , who objectest thus against thy self . Take heed thou hast not some Thoughts within thee , that thou shouldest recompence God by thy future Holiness , for thy past Provocations ; and whether that which discourageth thy hoping in God , and looking up unto him for Mercy , be not a prospect that thou art not like to have time enough to make this Recompence : If thou hast any such Thoughts as these , thou dost not well attend to the Promise of Pardon , which runs thus : I will blot out thy Transgressions for mine own Name sake , and we have Redemption , even Forgiveness of Sins , through his Blood . The end which God aimeth at in the Forgiveness of any Souls Sin , is his own Glory , the glorifying of the riches of his Grace , not receiving the Homage of an Holy Life , though that be thy Duty , and what God requireth of thee , yet , I say , that is not Gods great and ultimate end . He will have Mercy on whom he will have Mercy , and extend , Compassion to whom he will extend Compassion . The Consideration upon which God doth it , is the Price paid , and Satisfaction given by the Blood of his Son . It is not for our sake , nor for our future Works sake , but for his own Name sake , and for his dear S●n's sake ; that he granteth unto any , Pardon and Forgiveness of Sin . Now although the time of thy Life yet to come , in probability will not be commensurate to the time of Life , which is past and spent in Sinning and Dishonouring God ; yet why may not the great God glorifie the Riches of his Grace , in the free Forgiveness of thee ? Why may he not exalt the Blood of his Son , in washing thy Soul ?

2. Secondly , It is not for us to know times and seasons , which are in Gods Power onely . It is true , God seemeth to have revealed , that every Soul hath a set time , beyond which be will shew it no favour ; and that this is not onely the end of our Life , but may be sometime before our dying day ; but we know not what time that is , and therefore it is rashness , for any Soul to conclude my time is past . Where have we any Directions from the Word of God to fix any such time , or to conclude it as to any period of time ? We know the Master of the Vineyard called to some to come and Work in his Vineyard at the 11th . hour , and we know also that the Thief upon the Cross was told in the last hour of his Life , that he should that Night be with Christ in Paradise . Secret things belong unto God , Revealed things onely to us and to our Children . Unless we had some certain Rule to determine the Time to us , we have no Reason to determine it our selves , to discourage us from what his Word commandeth us as our certain Duty .

3. Thirdly , Supposing there be an heart found in us to be sorry for our Sins , humbled for them , and to turn from them to God , and to accept of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Salvation tendred unto us in the Gospel ; it is certain our time is not yet past : The Reason is , because the promise of Pardon and Salvation is made unto such . So that no Soul hath reason to conclude there is no hope for him in God ; but that Soul that laboureth under impenitency , and hardness of heart , and findeth in it self a resolution yet to go on in its sinful courses : And therefore you shall observe in that dreadful Text , Heb. 6. the Apostle saith of them that have been once enlightened , and have tasted of the heavenly Gift , and the Powers of the World to come , and have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost , &c. if they fall away , it is impossible they should be renewed again by Repentance ; if they could Repent , it were not impossible they should be Pardoned or obtain Eternal Life and Salvation ; but it pleaseth not God to renew them by Repentance : if thou findest an heart to Repent , to bleed for Sin and turn from it , there is no Reason for thee to Despair , or to conclude it is too late for thee It is a true saying , That True Repentance . is never too late ; for it always hath the Promise of Pardon and Forgiveness annext .

4. Fourthly , as to that Text Heb. 10. 26. If we sin wilfully after we have received the Knowledge of the Truth , there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sins . It is not to be understood strictly as the words seem to sound , as if it concerned all Persons that sin against their Light and Knowledge , but onely of some degrees of wilful sinning ; for all the Sons and Daughters of Men would be in a sad state , if there were no Sacrifice for sin remaining for any , that after the receiving and owning of the Truth , did in any degrees knowingly and wilfully sin against God : But this also appeareth by the Con●ext , and the Text , Heb. 6. to which this is apparently paralel ; 1. It speaketh of Adversaries v. 27. 2. Of such as trod under foot the Son of God , and counted the Blood of the Covenant , with which he was sanctified , an unholy thing . It is apparent he spake of Christians that made a total open Defection from the Doctrine of the Gospel to Judaism . This is that which v. 26. He called the forsaking the assembling themselves together ; forsaking the Communion of all Christians ; and a malicious contempt and despising of Christ , and of his Blood ; counting it an unholy thing . The Truth which he here speaketh of , is undoubtedly the Truth which he had before opened in this Epistle ; wherein he had enlarged in a Discourse to prove , that Christ was truly God , and truly Man , and the true Messias shadowed out by the Jewish High Priest . Now saith he , if a man sin wilfully , that is , having owned and acknowledged and professed this Truth , afterwards reject it , deny it , apostatise from the profession of it , leaving the Assemblies of Christians , shall joyn himself to the Assemblies of those who are the Adversaries of Christ , and continue and maliciously go on in that apostacy and defection : What ever Remedy he may dream of finding in the Jewish Sacrifices , he will indeed find that there is none of their Sacrifices will do him good , nor will Christ expiate for him ; so there will be no Sacrifice for his Sin . This I take to be much of the sense and import of that Text , according to which it will not much concern one in thy Circumstances .

4. Temptation But will some Soul say , There is a Sin that shall never be forgiven ( our Saviour hath told us so , Math. 12. 31. Mar. 3. 28. ) Saint John calls it a Sin unto death : The Apostle ( admiting those two Texts , Heb. 6. 6 , 7. and Heb. 10. 26 , 27 , 28. be to be restrained to that ) saith of it , that those who are guilty of it , cannot be renewed by Repentance , and that there remaineth no more Sacrifice for it . I have committed that Sin , and therefore I know there is no hope for me , I have nothing to do but to look for that fiery Indignation which is to devour the Adversaries . Thus speaks the Tempter : Thus after him doth the poor Soul speak that is Tempted . To which I Answer ,

1. It is very unreasonable for thee to conclude that thou hast sinned the Sin against the Holy Ghost , the unpardonable Sin , till thou canst tell what the Sin against the Holy Ghost is ; if thou canst not tell what it is , how canst thou tell that thou hast committed it : Now it is not like that thou shouldest be able to determine a Question which hath exercised so long the greatest Divines , and yet remains not determined by them , at least not agreed in by any considerable consent . Some make it a Sin of which we are not now capable , the d●nial of the Divine Nature of Christ , after they had seen his miraculous Operations , which God alone could do ; and Reviling , Reproaching , and Persecuting him ; notwithstanding all they had seen in him or heard from him . And it is plain , this is that which Christ in those Texts of the Gospel doth primarily and immediately speak of : But those Texts in the Epistle to the Hebrews cannot be thus interpreted ; yet what this specifical sin is , is not agreed amongst the best Divines .

2. Secondly , Many of those from whom we hear these complaints , apparently have not Light enough , I mean not knowledge enough , to be under the guilt of this Sin ; for that is apparent from Heb. 6. that whatever this sin be , it must be the sin of knowing enlightened Persons , such as have been once enlightened ; as have tasted of the Heavenly Gift : So that ignorant Persons cannot be under this Guilt they must be knowing Persons , and such as have made a Profession .

3. Thirdly , It is also thus far agreed , That there must be a Total and Final Falling away from the Profession of Faith , which Men have made , and this must ●e conjoyned with Malice expressed in Words , or Deeds , or both ; such as may ●e interpreted , a doing despight to the ●pirit of Grace , a trampling under-foot the ●lood of the Covenant , an accounting it an unholy thing , a Crucifying Christ a-fresh .

4. Fourthly , There must be a Perseverance in this Apostacy and Blasphemy , to the end without Repentance , or it cannot be this Sin : for the Apostle saith of such as commit this Sin , that it is impossible they should be renewed again by Repentance : and Christ saith , That it shall never be forgiven . Now it is certain any Sin that is repented of , may and shall be forgiven . I must confess , when I consider what woful Apostacies some in the days wherein we live , have made from the Doctrine of Godliness , and what Blasphemies come from their Tongues and Pens , against the Operations of the Spirit ; imputing that to Melancholick Fancies and Dreams , and to Impressions from the Devil , which are from the Holy Spirit of God , and its Impressions ▪ Teachings and Operations ; and when I also consider with what an heat , and passion of Madness , many are carried out i● Persecuting the Servants of God , and th●● in an age so ferrtile of means , that they either have known , do know , or may know other things : My Heart akes and trembleth for many poor Souls , and I cannot but fear , many more than we are aware of , are under this tremenduo● Guilt ; nor know I how they can evince the contrary , but by a timely sense of their Sins , Repentance , and Sorrow of Heart for them , and taking a new course ; but yet I say final Impenitency must go to make up this Sin ; which unless thou findest , thou hast no Reason , as to it , peremptorily to conclude against thy self : The Evidence of this truth often puts the Tempter to his last shift , and we hear often the poor Tempted Soul saying thus ,

5. Temptation . Ah! This , this is my case , I know I have not so sinned , but if I could Repent , if I could Believe in Christ , I might be Pardoned , I might be Saved , but I have not Repented , I do not Repent ; my Heart is harder than the neather Milstone ; I weep and howl indeed for my Plagues , I see I am a poor undone Creature , that makes me complain , and wring my hands , but I see nothing of the evil of my Sin , I shed not a tear upon that account , nor cannot , therefore there is no hope .

1. It must be acknowledged that both Repentance and Faith is the Gift of God , and naturally no Man hath a Power to the one or to the other ; Acts 11. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 25. and Faith is not of our selves , it is the Gift of God ; Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. The Question is not therefore ( taking Repentance in a full and proPer sense ) whether thou canst Repent or Believe , but whether God hath wrought , or will yet work in thee a power truly to Repent and Believe : And how doest thou know , that God will not do that ? For thou canst not conclude , supposing God hath not done it yet , that he will not do it before thy dying hour .

2. Possibly thou mayest be mistaken in thy determining that God hath not done it , from a mistake concerning the true Nature of Repentance ; a sense and sorrow for Sin are but the out-works of it : True Repentance lies in the Souls displicence to Sin , and hatred of it , and readiness to take a Revenge upon it self for it , and Resolution and endeavour against it for the time to come . I know it is not impossible that a Soul under such Horrours as these , may not have any true sense of Sin or Hatred of it , but even Blaspheme God , because of its Horrours , Terrours , and Affrightments ; but let me tell you , the Instances of Souls are very rare , that are under great Terrours and Affrightments for Sin ; so a● to conclude there is no hope : and yet at the same time Love , Delight , in such Sins , take pleasure in them , and desire but occasions to commit them . I would ask thee seriously under these Terrours for some Sins thou hast committed , doest thou not from thine heart wish thou hadst not committed them ? Couldst thou not even tear thy flesh , that ever thou shouldest be so far betrayed by the Lusts and Passions of thy depraved Heart ? Wouldest thou now do the like again ? What doth this speak but Repentance , so far as it can be judged of under thy present Circumstances ? Indeed it is possible all this may be , and yet a Soul recovered out of these sad Circumstances , may again return with the Dog to its vomit and the Swine to the wallowing in the mire again ; but this is not what at present thou canst conclude , to hinder thy Souls Hope and Confidence in the Mercy and Free-grace of God .

3. But admit thou canst not satisfie thy self that thou hast Repented or Believed , yet may not God yet give thee an Heart to Repent and Believe ? What hindreth ? Or if he may , what hindreth thy hope in the Mercy of God ? Nay if thou doest what in thee lyeth , I dare assure thee that God will not be wanting in the Aids and Assistances of his Grace : But I have said enough to evince the first thing that I propo●ed , That there is no sufficient Reason , considering the Covenant of Grace , and Gods Revelation of his Mind in the Gospel , for any Soul to Despair . The Issue of which is this , That a Soul thus sinning , Transgresseth without a Cause , and a Reasonable Soul in this acteth not according to Principles of Reason , or any just Conclusion drawn from Gospel Promises , or Principles . This is the first thing .

2. A Second thing which I would offer to such a Souls Reflection , is the greatness of the Sin of Despair . Presumption is a Sin , but yet Despair seemeth to be a far greater Sin : To Evidence which , I shall desire you to consider , 1. What it Implieth . 2. What must Accompany it . 3. What better Consequents it hath .

1. It Implieth and carrieth along with it , a denial either of the Power of God ; Or of the Goodness and Mercy of God ; or , thirdly of his Truth and Faithfulness . 1. Of the Power of God , It was laid to the charge of the Israelites , That they limited the Holy One of Israel ; Psal. 78. 41. They said , Can God bring us Water out of the Rock ? And Can God give us Meat in the Wilderness ? Thou sayest , Can God Pardon such a Sinner as I have been ? Can God give Repentance ? Can God give me Faith in Jesus Christ ? What is this , but to limit the Almighty ? The unbelieving Noble Man , of whom you read in the Book of Kings , when the Prophet fore-told that Food should by the next day be at so cheap a Rate ; said , If God would make Windows in Heaven , the thing could not be : The Prophet told him it should be , he should see it , but he should not Eat of it ; and the Chapter telleth you he saw it verified , he saw it the next day , but he was trodden to Death by the Multitude . Sarah laughed ( it was a laughter of unbelief ) when the Angel told her she should have a Son : God punished it gently in her , but more severely in Zachary , that would not believe that his barren Wife should have a Son ; he was struck Dumb : What doest thou do less than Question the Power of God ? If God can forgive Sins , why mayest thou not hope ? If he can , even in the last hour give Repentance unto Life ; why should a living Man not hope ? Ah! but saith this Soul , No , no , I do not doubt but God can do it , but he will not do it .

2. Secondly , Is not this to deny the Lords Goodness and Mercy ? God hath exalted his Mercy above all his Name ; when God proclaimed his Name to Moses , Exo. 34. you shall find there 8 or 9 Expressions , all but one ( which will by no means clear the Guilty ) signifying the Goodness , and Mercy of God ( which hath made a very Learned Interpreter ( v. De Dieu ad Loc. ) doubt whether we have truly Translated that Phrase : ) God triumpheth more in this than in any other part of his Name ; he hath chosen to be exalted in his Arttribute of Mercy , he hath exalted it above all his Name : Now this is that Artribute , the Glory of which Despair Robbeth God of . Presumption denieth him the honour of his Truth , of his Justice , and Judgment , which indeed he stileth his Work , but his strange Work , as that which floweth not from himself ; but is as it were forced from him by a meritorious Cause in the Creature . Mercy is the proper and natural Work of God , flowing meerly from himself without any Cause in the Creature . This is that , the Honour of which Despair denieth unto God , nor is it to be freed from a questioning the Power of God also ; for although ( as thou pretendest ) thou doest not Universally question the Prerogative and Power of God to Forgive Sins , yet thou deniest his Power to Forgive thy Sins , yea the Sins of any who are in the like Circumstances of sinning with thee : for unless thou canst charge him ( with whom there is no respect of Persons , with a particular Malice , or Ill Will to thee ) in saying God cannot , nor will not , Pardon thy Sins ; or there is no hope for thee : thou deniest not onely the Power of God as to the Pardon of thy Sins , but the Sins also of any other whose Circumstances of sinning are as great as thine are : Now seemeth it to thee a light thing , O Christian , to deny the Divine Goodness , and to set Limits to Infinite Mercy .

3. Thirdly , This Sin always carries with it also A denial of Gods Truth , and Faithfulness . He hath told thee , Mat. 12. 31. That all Sin and Blasphemy , wherewith any shall Blaspheme the Son of Man , shall be Forgiven : That if thy Sins were as Scarlet , they shall be as Wooll ; if as Crimson , they shall be as White as Snow : No , sayest thou , I have Sinned , I have Blasphemed , and it shall not be Forgiven : I have Scarlet Sins , and God will not make them as Snow . I have Crimson Sins , and God will not make them as Wooll . What is this , but to put the lie upon God , to deny his Truth and Faithfulness , to say he hath said it , and he will not do it ; he hath spoken it , but it shall not come to pass ? But some will say it to me after this rate of Arguing , God should save all Men and Women breathing : These words are nomore spoken to me than to any other . I Answer , I do not urge these great and precious Revelations of the Divine Will , as grounds for Sinners to conclude that they shall be Saved , Pardoned , and Saved , without any more a-do ; but onely as general grounds of Hope that there may perhaps be Mercy found with God for us ; and as Assurances on the part of a gracious God , that if we miss of Pardon , and Eternal Life and Salvation , the fault shall not be justly charged on God , he is ready to forgive ; but in our selves , who will not Repent , nor leave our Sins and turn unto God ; who will not come unto Christ that we might have Life ; still it remaineth the duty of us that would obtain this Pardon , to confess its Sins and forsake them , and to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ : but the Despairing Soul throws all the blame of its miscarriage upon God , and ordinarily , doth not say , I do not Repent , I cannot Repent ; therefore there is no hope , but there is no Mercy in God : God cannot , or God will not Pardon me now , I say . This is an Impeachment , as of the Power of God , to forgive to the utmost , and of Christ to save to the utmost , so of that Goodness , and Grace , and Mercy of God , yea , and of the Truth , and Faithfulness of God . Besides , What a Comparison doth the Soul make here , betwixt finite and infinite ; betwixt which two there is no proportion : Let thy Sins be what they will or can , they can be but finite , The Mercies of God are infinite . The Sea is but a finite Creature , yet what can you imagine so great that the Sea will not swallow up and cover , that it shall not be seen any more . It is a Similitude which God himself doth sometimes make use of , by it to express the plenty of his Forgiving Mercy . See that excellent Text , Micah 7. 18 , 19. Who is a God like unto thee , that pardoneth Iniquity , and passeth by the Transgression of the Remnant of his Heritage ; he retaineth not his Anger for ever , because he delighteth in Mercy : He will turn again , he will have Compassion upon us , he will subdue our Iniquities , and thou wilt cast all their Sins into the depths of the Sea . Now Despairing Conclusions , That there is no Hope in God , that our Iniquities are too many , or too great , to be forgiven ; give God the Lie as to this . It is no more than the Scripture saith , 1 John 5. 10. He that believeth not God , maketh God a Liar , because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son ; and this is the Record , that God hath given to us Eternal Life ; and this Life is in his Son .

2. Secondly , This Sin , as it implieth these things , so it is always attended with Unbelief in Gods Promises , and with very hard and unworthy Thoughts of God . By Unbelief , here I understand , the Negation of a Trust and Confidence in God , and the Promises he hath made of those good things concerning which the Soul Despaireth . So that what ever can be said in aggravation of the Sin of Unbelief , is highly applicable in the aggravation of this Sin ; for Despair speaketh the highest degree of Unbelief imaginable . It is one thing for a Soul not to trust in God , another thing to conclude , That he is not to be trusted in as to my Soul , that there is no hope for me in God . This speaketh the highest degree of Unbelief that we can imagine .

2. Besides , it necessarily carrieth along with it , very hard and unworthy Thoughts of God . The Soul cannot think reverently and worthily of God , when it is rooted in such Thoughts as these , that although he be a God that Pardoneth Iniquities , Transgressions and Sins , yea , abundantly Pardoneth , yet he will shew it no Favour , but adjudge it to an Everlasting Misery and Torment ; nay , it is hard to conceive how such a Soul should forbear wishing that there were no God , that the Being of God were annihilated .

3. Then in the last place , The Effects of this Sin of Despair , must needs be very sad ; for as a Lively Hope of obtaining any Good , quickeneth the Soul to the use of all those Means which Reason dictateth , as probable Means for the obtaining what we desire ; so the Despair of obtaining any such Good , quite deadneth the Heart , and taketh it off all Thoughts of using Means to obtain that which it concludeth with it self impossible to be obtained . This is manifest upon the Experience of all such Souls as at any time are under any Fits of Despair : They cannot be perswaded to hear Sermons , to Pray , to Read ; in short , not to use any Means of Grace and Salvation . So that a greater Sin can hardly be imagined than this Sin of Despair is . Oh that those would think of this , who find in their Souls any Motions , Temptations , or Inclinations towards it . That they would think how much Dishonour God hath from this Sin above others .

3. Again , Certainly it must be advantage to such a Soul , to reflect upon those great Presidents of Free Grace , which we have upon Record in Holy Writ . Let them remember the instance of St. Paul , who saith of himself , That he was a Persecutor , he was a Blasphemer and Injurious , but yet he obtained Mercy ; 1 Tim. 1. 13. The instance of David restored again to the joy of Gods Salvation , after the guilt of Adultery and Murther . Of Peter , who received kind Looks from Christ , after he had thrice denied his Master , and that with the addition of Cursing and Swearing , that he did not know him . Of Mary Magdalen , out of whom the Lord had cast out Seven Devils . Let such a Soul think of these great instances , and of those who Crucified the Lord Jesus Christ , Acts 2. 36 , 37 , 38. yet at Peters Sermon were pricked at the Heart , encouraged by the great Apostle to Repent and be Baptized , in the Name of Jesus Christ , for the Remission of their Sins ; and had the Promise of receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost .

4. O let no such Soul neglect the Reading or Hearing of the Word of God , that is the Proximate Object of our Hope . God is indeed the primary and proper Object , none can give Remission of Sin or Eternal Life but God ; but by the Word , and from the Revelation of the good will of God in his Word , we come to Hope in God . I look therefore upon that as a great Conquest , which the Devil hath gotten over a Soul Despairing , when he hath perswaded it not to hear , not to read the Word ; that is indeed to omit the Means by which its Darkness should be dispelled , and a true and lively Hope should be begotten in it .

5. To all these should be added Fasting and Prayer , the Efficacy of which depends on this , That it is Gods Work to beget the Soul to a lively Hope , through the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ ; 1 Pet. 1. 3. It is true , a Soul in these Fits is not very fit for Prayer ; how shall it Pray in Faith ? But yet I would not have it wholly to neglect Prayer . But let it call in the Help of godly Ministers and Christians ; let it send for the Elders of the Church , and let them pray for it .

6. I should have added before , I shall now close this Discourse with it , Let such a Soul be often whetting upon it self , and let others be suggesting to it , the most liberal Promises of Free Grace and Pardon , and the greatest Presidents of Forgiving Mercy , which the Scripture affordeth . And let there be frequent Repetitions of them upon and to the Soul ; possibly though at the first or second offer , they may not stick to the Soul , nor the Soul take any Comfort from them , yet at last they may . But so much shall serve to have spoken to this Black and exceeding Dangerous Temptation .

FINIS .

Concerning TEMPTATIONS TO Presumption .

CHAP. I.

The Text , Deut. 29. 18 , 19 , 20. opened . The fitness of it to the intended Discourse . The Proposition founded in it . The Method of handling it proposed . What it is to presume . The Nature of Presumption opened .

MOses ( the Servant of God ) when he had a second time repeated the Law of God to the Israelites , as you shall find in that Book , which from that Second Repetition hath its Name Deuteronomy , commandeth the People , that having passed over Jordan , into the Land of Canaan , they should set up Stones , and Plaister them with Plaister , and write the Law upon them ; and set up these Stones in Mount Ebal ; Deut. 27. 4. and six of the Tribes were to stand upon Mount Ebal , six upon Mount Gerizzim ; v. 12 , 13. who were to say Amen , to the Levites pronouncing the Blessings or Cursings following , after Chap. 27. 28. promised to those that observed the Laws , or denounced against those that presumed to violate it ; after this Moses exhorteth them to Obedience , from the great Works of God which they had seen him doing for them ; Chap. 29. 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 7 , 8 , 9. and from thence to the 15 verse , he ingageth them in a Covenant with God , for the observation of his Law . And v. 16 , 17. shortly again mindeth them of what God had done for them , both in bringing them out of Egypt , and through the Nations of their Enemies . After all this , that great Man of God , from the general Corruption of Humane Nature , fore-saw there would be some b●ld pr●fane Persons , that would venture obsequiousness to their Sensual Appetite , to break this Holy Law ; and notwithstanding all the Blessings annexed to the Observation of it , and all the Curses entailed to the Violation of it , would adventure upon their Sensual Satisfactions , and yet promise to themselves , not onely Impunity and Freedom , from the threatned Evils , but also the obtaining those good Things , for the obtaining of which , the Observation of the Divine Law , was made a Condition ; he therefore adds v. 18 , 19 , 20 , 21. L●st there should be amongst you , Man , or Woman , or Family , or Tribe , whose Heart turneth away from the Lord his God , to go and serve the Gods of these Nations ; lest there should be amongst you a Root that beareth Gall and Wormwood , v. 19. and when he heareth the words of this Curse , that he blesseth himself in his Heart , saying , I shall have Peace though I walk in the Imagination of mine Heart , and add Drunkenness to Thirst ; v. 20. The Lord will not spare him , but then the Anger of the Lord and his Jealousie , shall smoke against that Man ; and all the Curses of this Book shall lie upon him , and the Lord shall blot out his Name from under Heaven . v. 21. And the Lord shall seperate him to Evil , out of all the Tribes of Israel , according to all the Curses of the Covenant , that are written in this Book of the Law . It is true , these Words are in the Old Testament , but Augustine said true , That the Old Testament is Occultatio Novi , The New Testament in a Mystery ; the New Testament Revelatio Veteris , the Old Testament explained : both of them the Revealed Will of God , the later onely the more clear Revelation of it : And it is as true , That as Face answereth Face in a Glass , so the Hearts of Men in one Age and Period in the World , answer the Hearts of Men in another Period of it . Moses in the Text afore-mentioned , describeth to you , 1. A Sinner , one who turneth away his Heart from the Lord his God , that walketh according to the imagination of his own Heart , that addeth Drunkenness to Thirst ; and all this after he hath heard the Words of the Law , and the Blessing to them that keep the Law , and the Curse to them that violate this Law . 2. The bold Presumption of this Sinner , when he hath heard the Law , the Bl●ssings promised to them that observe it , and the Curses denounced against them that violate it ; yet he will flatter himself , he shall have Peace , though he walks according to the imagination of his Heart , and addeth Sin to Sin , Drunkenness to Thirst . 3. The Fate of such a Sinner , or the Issue of that Presumption , The Lord will not spare him , but the Anger of the Lord and his Jealousie shall smoke against that Man , and all the Curses in Scripture shall lie upon him , and the Lord shall blot out his Name from under Heaven . The Lord shall seperate him to Evil , out of all the Tribes of Israel , according to all the Curses of the Covenant , that are written in the Book of the Law . God hath also made a Covenant with People under the New Testament , even the same for Substance as with the Jews : He then gave them a Law , A Law for Worship , called the Ceremonial Law : A Law for ordering their Polity or Common-wealth , called the Judicial Law : A Law for the Ordering their Conversation , called the Moral Law . It is true , the two first concern not us , nor are any part of Gods Covenant with us Gentiles . Christ hath set up a New Worship , and taken away the Law contained in Ordinances ; Ordinances concerning a Worldly Sanctuary . We may now every where worship the Father ; John 4. 23 , 24. Carnal Ordinances and Typical Ordinances , that Law is abolished ; Christ the Anti-type being come . The Substance is come , the Shadows are fled away ; we are not concerned in the Judicial Law , any further than in the Equity of it : it was the Revealed Will of God , with respect to that particular People , and the Complexion of them . But we are all concerned in the Moral Law , that is the same in the Covenant with us as with the Jews , and the Blessings promised to the Observer of it , and the Curses denounced against the Breakers of the same . Onely as to the Law-part , the Law of Faith is more fully and clearly revealed ; you read not so much of Christ and Believing in Christ , and in his Name under the Old Testament , as in the New ; yet even then Abraham saw Christs day and rejoyced : and there is enough to prove , that Faith in Christ was then a term of Salvation . And for the Blessings and Curses , they are much more Plain , Spirutual and Comfortable , or Dreadful , under the New Testament than under the Old . All things happening to the Jews in a Figure . The Blessings under the New Testament promised , are Pardon of Sin and Eternal Life , more eminently the Curses eminently threatned , are dying in Sins and being Eternally Condemned . Now look as it was amongst the Jews , when God had plainly given them his Law , and threatned the Disobedience of it , with all manner of Curses and Judgements ; and promised to the Obesrvance of it , all manner of Good ; yet there was a Generation that were mad of their Lusts , and yet not willing to think they should be Cursed in that manner and undone , therefore promised themselves , that though they walked according to their own Lusts and Imaginations , and went boldly on in Courses of Sin , yet they should have Peace , Outward Peace , Inward Peace , Eternal Peace . So there are a multitude of People still that do the like , as to whom the Lord saith , He will not spare them , but make them eminent instances of his Wrath and Vengeance .

I have hitherto been discoursing of the vehement Temptations , That to Atheistical Thoughts , that to Self-Murther , and that to Despair ; I come now to speak to a Fourth , that of Presumption . What the Women said of Saul , may be said of the other three ; but what they sung of David may be applied to this , Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts , Self-Murther , may have slain their Thousands ; but Presumption hath slain , and I fear goes on yet , to slay its Ten Thousands . Suffer me therefore to inlarge a little upon this so necessary an Argument : you may ( if you please ) take this Proposition as a bottom to my Discourse .

Prop. That it is very ordinary for Persons enamoured and resolved upon their Lusts , notwithstanding the clear Revelations of the Divine Will , and the Conditions upon which Blessings are promised ; as also as to the Threatings denounced against the Violators of the Divine Law ; yet to presume upon their receiving the promised Blessings , though they live directly contrary to the terms on which God hath promised them . In speaking to this Temptation ( of all others most common and ordinary , and as pernicious , tho not so troublesome ) I will first enquire into the Nature of Presumption , and when a Man or Woman may be said to Presume in a Theological Sense . 2. What Tempters those are that move to this Sin . 3. What that seeming Good is , which they propound to the Soul , to entice the Soul to presume . 4. Upon what Grounds ( ordinarily ) Souls are tempted to presume . 5. What may be advised or done , in order to the avoiding this Rock .

Presumption and to presume , are terms very variously taken , as they are used by Lawyers or Divines , or in our ordinary Discourse and way of Speaking . I shall neither trouble my self nor you with the Amphibology , and various usage of the Terms . I am speaking to it onely as a Divine . In the general Notion of it , it signifies , To take a thing too quickly before it be given : A Proof taken for granted , before it be fully made according to Rules of Law , when the thing is made by it no more than very probable or suspicious , is called a Presumption . In Divinity an Hope or Confidence taken up without just and sufficient grounds to warrant it , is called Presumption ; and without any more Discourse , that is the sense in which I am speaking of it , the Objects of it ( as I am speaking to it ) are the Favour of God , as to the Pardon of Sin and Eternal Life and Salvation . Those are the Objects of the good Hope of a true Christian , and of the vain Hope of a presumptuous Hypocrite . In short , It is an unwarrantable Hope and Confidence , respecting the Favour of God , as to the Pardon of Sin , and the obtaining Eternal Life ; when Men and Women will be unreasonably confident of their Spiritual Estate , that they are in the Favour of God , that their Sins are Pardoned , and they shall be Eternally Saved ; like the foolish Virgins , that when they wanted Oil , came and cried , Lord open to us , when the Door was shut against them ; Matth. 25. 10 , 11. or those Matth. 7. 22. that our Saviour tells us of , who should say to him ( and I pray observe , he saith there will be Many under those circumstances ) that will say , Lord , Lord , have we not Prayed in thy Name , and Prophesied in thy Name , and in thy Name cast out Devils ; to whom our Lord telleth us he will profess , I never knew you , depart from me ye workers of Iniquity . This is that which I call the Sin of Presumption , and a great Sin it is , it would not else have been so severely threatned as it is ; Deut. 29. 20 , 21. and Motions to it are Temptations . Let me in the next place find out our great Adversaries in this case .

CHAP. II.

The Tempters in this Temptation , The Devil , our own Lusts , the World . How they severally work in the enforcement of this Temptation . The Men of the World , especially Teachers of Falshood , have a very great Causation in these Temptations .

I Have heretofore told you , That every Motion to Sin ( come it from whom it will , and in what degree it will ) is a Temptation , tho according to our common way of speaking , we onely call such motions Temptations when they are Violent and Impetuous . Now in regard we may be moved to Sin , from the Devil , or from the World , or from our own Lusts ; there are three Principal Tempters against whom the good Fight is to be managed . The World , The Flesh , and the Devil . As to this particular Temptation , it may be from all three , or any of them .

1. Such a Temptation may be , and often is from the Devil ; he is the Destroyer , and he goeth about like a roaring Lyon , seeking whom he may devour : He Tempts to Atheistical and Blasphemous Thoughts , to Self-Murther , to Despair ; but these are his Back-Game , which he seldome or never playeth with the Soul until he seeth his Fore-Game lost . So long as he can perswade a Soul to go on in a course of Sin , and yet flatter it self with Peace and Hope of its Salvation , or confidence as to it , he will never perswade it to Despair or Self-Murther ; the other Temptation doth his business with far less noise , and the effect of it will be every whit as certain , if not more : Who would fight his Enemy if he can kill him with a sleeping Potion ? Now if you ask me how the Devil worketh here ? I Answer either more Immediately or more Mediately . More Immediately , by Impressing Notions in our Minds , which believed , will raise up such confidences in us : Mediately , making use of others to suggest such Notions to us and to perswade us to imbrace them . If once the Devil can Imprint such Notions upon our Souls as these , That God will save all his Creatures , or all these that are Baptized , or all that are absolved and take the Sacrament when they die , &c. or an hundred such like ; and either by the force of his Impressions , or by the Swasions and Suggestions of others , induce Men to believe them , he hath done his Work .

2. Such a Temptation may be from our own Lust : Lust in the general notion of it , is nothing else but inordinate desire , whether it be the desire of a thing which God hath forbidden us ( such was Eves desire of the forbiden Fruit ) or an unlawlawful irregular desire of something which under due Circumstances or in a lawful manner we might have our Appetite carried out after . The Peace and Quiet of our Spirits is a good thing , and the true object of a good Christians desire ; but when a Man or Woman desires to obtain it any way and by any means , this is Lust . Now by this Lust Men are tempted and enticed to Presumption , to hatch up a confidence , a groundless confidence in their Hearts , that they are in Favour with God , and when they die , shall go to Heaven ; &c. tho they have no just ground for any such hope or confidence : Every Man Naturally wisheth well to himself , and hath no inclination to prophecy evil unto himself : No Man loves to live under a constant awe and fear of such a thing as having his portion for ever in a Lake , burning with Fire and Brimstone , and from his eager desire to be free from such a Torment conjoyned . 2. With a desire not to deny himself in sensual satisfactions , proceedeth this Temptation to lay hold upon any thing that may give him any colourable pretence to hope for a better Portion ; and thus this Temptation may be from our Lust , as St. James saith , Every Man is tempted , when he is drawn away by his own Lust and enticed . The poor Sinner hath a desire to wallow in his Lusts and to enjoy himself in the gratifying of his Senses , and withal he hath no desire to be in the middest of his Cupps frighted as Belshazzar , with a Mene , Mene ; nor troubled with the sowre reflections of a Guilty and Condemning Conscience : Hence he is enticed to Persume to lay hold upon some Hope , and to possess himself with some confidence , that what ever Ministers say , he may walk in the Imaginations of his Heart , and add Drunkenness to Thirst , and yet have Peace .

3. Such a Temptation , may be from the World , the Things of the World , or the Men of the World : The Things of the World , they are but Mute inoperative Tempters . They are gay and glistering to a sensual Eye : Fistula dulce canit : Like Eves forbidden Fruit. When the Woman saw that the Tree was good for Food , and that it was pleasant to the Eye ; she took of the Fruit. The unsanctified heart looks upon these things , and saith , shall I leave all my satisfaction in Pleasure , unlawful gain , &c. in hope of an unseen reward ? But indeed here Lust is the Tempter ; of which I spake before . The Men of the World have a greater Causation , both the false Prophet , and the false Friend or Brother perswading Souls to trust in Lies , to drink in Notions which are false , and otherwise representing the Will of God to People as to Pardon of Sin , and Eternal Life and Salvation , then indeed it is . Such a generation there was of old , Ahab's Three hundred false Prophets , bad him go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper Hananiah perswaded the Kings and Princes of Israel , that God would break the Yoke of the King of Babylon ; Jer. 28. 11. You read of others , Jer. 29. 31. Shemajah Prophesied and caused the People to trust in a Lie . There were Prophets in Samaria , That caused Israel to Err , Jerem. 23. 13. that made People vain , spake Visions out of their own Heart and not out of the Mouth of the Lord , That said to those that despised the Lord , The Lord hath said you shall have Peace : and to every one that walked after the Imaginations of his own Heart , No Evil shall come unto you : That daubed with untempered Mortar , Ezek. 22. 28. That cryed Peace , Peace , when there was no Peace . There were such in Christs and in the Apostles times , that taught another way of Salvation , then what they taught : This hath been the great Art of the Papists , to Interpret the Law and Will of God , with reference to Mans Salvation , into such a sense , as it might consist with a satisfaction of Mens Lusts ; so as Men might keep their Lusts , and yet go to Heaven by a few external good Works ; parting with a little money , or the like . The false Teacher hath an eminent Causation in these Temptations , he causeth People to trust in a lie : So that in Temptations of this Nature all our three Spiritual Enemies have great Parts .

CHAP. III.

The Seeming Good enticing is Temptations of this Nature , the enjoyment of unlawful Sensual Satisfactions , without regrets , or disturbances from Conscience . Several false Notions instanced in , which the Tempters instill into Men and Women ; upon which they build up Presumptuous Hopes .

THe seeming Good , which is the Bait that covereth this Hook , is evident enough from the former Discourse : It is The Enjoyment of unlawful sensual Satisfactions without Regrets or Disturbances from Conscience . There are many Trees of forbidden Fruit , in the midst of the World wherein we live : As there are many other Trees , the Fruit of which we may eat of , under due Circumstances , and yet live with God ; many lawful Pleasures which we may take and use moderately , many Actions which may tend to our Profit and Advantage , in order to our comfortable Subsistance , and a living in the World with Honour and Reputation ; so that God hath not scanted us , and we need not Steal for the Satisfaction of our just Hunger : So I say there are many Trees of forbidden Fruit , which we may not eat the Fruit of , least we die . God hath not said to any , Thou shalt not Marry : But he hath said , Thou shalt not commit Adultery . He hath not said , Thou shalt not enjoy Silver , or Gold , Houses , or Lands : But he hath said , Thou shalt not Covet thy Neighbours House nor Lands . He hath said , Thou shalt not Steal . He hath not said , Thou shalt not spend any day , but in the solemn Worship of God . But he hath said , Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day . Now our Lusts encline us to forbidden things , Nitimur in vetitum ; and these desires of unlawful things , or lawful things in an immoderate , undue , and unlawful manner , are what we call Lusts ; yet Men living under the Revelations of Divine Truth , and of the Divine Will , and hearing of an immortal State of Souls , and of an Eternity which waiteth for all Men after this Life , and that either in Bliss or Misery , we knowing that we must all die , and after come to Judgement , and receive an Eternal Reward , or an Eternal Punishment , cannot but desire an Eternal Happiness ; and our business ( I mean the business of a Natural Man , resolved upon the Satisfaction of his Lust , and yet desirous to shew himself one that believeth the Scriptures , and to cherish in himself an hope of an Eternal Happiness ) is to close with such Notions and false Representations of the Divine Will , as may serve to cherish his hopes for a Living with God for ever ; he in the mean time enjoying those Lusts and sensual Satisfactions to which he is most biassed and inclined : Hence it is that he Presumeth , that is he buildeth up unto himself Hopes and Confidences of Gods Favour to him as well as others , and that he shall when he dies goe to Heaven , whatever Ministers say ; who would put a Yoke upon Peoples Necks , that no Flesh is able to bear . Now it may be worth an enquiry , what false Notion : those are , upon which Men build up these Presumptions , and which the Devil , the World , or our own Lusts , suggest and build upon , as upon a sandy Foundation . I shall name some , and onely in this place shew you , that if these Notions were true , they might give a foundation for such Confidences ( at least some of them , others not ) I shall reserve my demonstration of the falshood of them , until I come to the Applicatory part of my Discourse .

1. That God will not Eternally Condemn any Man or Woman that he hath made , especially not any within the bosome of the Church : This hath not been the avowed Opinion of many who have published their Sentiments to the World ; We Read of Huberus and Paccius and some two or three more , who have adventured to publish such Sentiments to the World , but by the lives of too many it is proclaimed ; that there are too many such Atheists in the World ; for they wallow in such prodigious Filthiness as it is impossible but that they must conclude , that if there be an Hell ; and it be not to stand empty , they are like to goe to it ; for none can live more prodigiously lewd and profane lives than they do . Now indeed if this Notion were true , if Men could but perswade themselves that they are Gods Creatures , it were enough for them to be confident of Gods Favour and their going at last to Heaven .

2. A Second Notion which some have taken up , is That Christ hath dyed for all , and all those for whom he dyed shall be Saved . The latter part of this , is held by no learned Man that I know ( though if I could admit the former ; I should not be very difficult as to the latter . ) There are ( as I have formerly told you ) three Opinions concerning Redemption , as to the Objects of it : Some saying he died equally for all , as much for Judas as Peter : ( Thus say the Arminians ) others that he died for all , but not equally : He purchased a certainty of Salvation for some a possibility for all . ( Thus the Methedists , or those that are for the middle way . ) Others say he died for no more than the Elect. I intend not to meddle with this great Question ; onely I say , no judicious and learned Man , that hath held either of the two first Opinions , hath said , or will say , That all those for whom Christ died , shall be Saved . All agree in the Negative of that ; but I fear , abundance of less judicious People are of that Mind , and here build up their Presumptuous Hopes .

3. A Third Notion is , That Sin is washed away in Baptism . There are some learned and great Men indeed , who have thought , that the Guilt of Adams Sin , yea all Original Sin , is washed away in Baptism , and Men Justified in it ; but they add , If by Actual Sins they put not a barr , so as all the Relief that Opinion affords ( if it be true ) as to Persons dying in their Infancy , as to whom they are as gentle , as Augustine was judged an hard Father ; but I shall not enlarge on this , for there can be no other Pretence for this as to grown Persons , than their Admission into the Catholick Church by that Ordinance , and so it in part falleth in with the first Notion I named .

4. A Fourth Notion is , That Men and Women have their lives in their own hands , a Power in themselves to believe and do whatsoever God hath required of them in order to their Salvation ; so as they shall not need look after their Salvation , till they come within sight of the Grave : Upon this they build up Presumptuous Hopes all their Life , hoping to have time before their Death to bethink themselves , and to turn unto God .

5. Under a fifth Head may come Mens false Notions of Faith , Repentance , and Holiness . They are told by Papists , that Faith is nothing else , but an Agreement to the proposition of the Word ( and that they think they do . ) That Repentance is nothing else , but some sorrow for Sin , and a turning from some flagitious Courses unto God : That Holiness is nothing but a performance of some good Works Commanded in Gods Word , or a Resolution to do them , if they have time ; so as if they do upon their Death-bed profess they die in the Faith , and declare they are sorry for their mispent Life ; and their Resolution , if God spare their lives , to live a better Life : This is enough to carry them to Heaven .

6. A Sixth is this , That if they do but receive the Sacrament , and receive Absolution from a Minister before they Die : This is enough to secure their Eternal Salvation : For whose Sins they Remitt are Remitted .

7. A Seventh is ( and that is perfectly Popish ) That if they happen to die under the Guilt of Sin ( if it be not one of the seven Mortal Sins , and that without Repentance ) it is but lying some years in Purgatory , and they shall come out and go to Heaven ; nor would those Teachers of Presumption put that necessity upon them , if it were not to get money for Masses to be said for their Souls , or to get Indulgences for them , to help them out of the Imaginary Fire .

There are some of those Notions , which drank in , and imbraced by any , are the grounds of this Presumption , as to which I am now Discoursing .

The onely Question remaining , is what Christians should do to avoid dashing upon this desperate Rock .

CHAP. IV.

What to be done by Christians , to avoid dashing upon this Rock of Presumption . The first means to possess our selves of the falsehood of those Notious upon which these Presumptions are bottomed . Three of them instanced in several Arguments , to prove That Gods Creation of us , Christs dying for all , And the Efficacy of Baptisme , cannot be , without any thing more sufficient grounds , for any upon which to hope for Pardon of Sins , or Eternal Life and Salvation .

1. THe first thing to be done , is for Christians to possess themselves of the falshood of those Notions , which are the foundations upon which their Presumptuous Hopes are raised , and the Truths of God in opposition to them ; and here suffer me to run over all the Notions , I before instanced in ; and to shew you the egregious Vanity of them . I begin with the first of them , That God will damn none of the Sons and Daughters of Men which he hath made . This I perswade my self , is in the heart of a great many more than will speak it out ; let me therefore shew you the exceeding folly and vanity of it in some particulars :

1. In the first place , if I could say no more , yet this were sufficient , That there is no such Revelation of the Will of God , in any line of Scripture . Where hath God said , any where in Scripture , The he will save all Men ? Now the strength of this lies here , That Eternal Life , being a Gift , a free Gift of God and Christs , that to which none is born , Rom. 6. 23. John 17. 2. given by Christ to those whom the Father hath given him ; not to all , but to those whom the Father hath given him : it is the highest folly imaginable , for any to hope God will give it him , who is under no Circumstances , such as God hath said , he will give this great Gift to those that are under . You would think that Man mad , that should nourish an hope that you would give him your Estate , when you never told him , or any one else , that you would give him a Groat ; and why are you then so secure for your Souls , whose Interest is so infinitly more valuable ? Why should you think that God favoureth you , and will save you , when he never told you so , either implicitly or explicitly ? Do you trust to the Goodness and Graciousness of the Divine Nature ? Or to his Relation , to you , as you are Gods Creatures , he your Creator ? You may as reasonably think that all the Devils in Hell should be saved Why should not the Goodness of Gods Nature , as well extend to them , as you ? They are your elder Brethren , the first of the Creation ; more excellent Beings by Creation , than Man was : Where is your confidence then , because God made you ; if you can neither conclude it , from the Goodness of the Divine Nature , nor from your Relation to God , as he is your Creator , nor from any letter of his Revealed Will : Whence can you lay the stress of your Souls upon this , That God will save all .

2. Yet something might be hoped from hence , with more Reason ; If God had not expresly Revealed his Will to the contrary . Surely you would think that Man , or Woman , much worse than mad , that should hope you would leave him , or her , your whole Estate , when you shall have said , and sworn , that you would not give him a Groat . There is no clearer piece of the Revealed Will of God in Scripture , than that some of the Sons and Daughters of Men shall perish Eternally ; Dan. 12. 2. Those that sleep in the dust shall awake , some to Everlasting Life , and some to Everlasting Shame and Contempt . There shall be some to whom Christ will say , Depart from me , I know you not , you workers of Iniquity ; Math. 7. 23 , 24. Some to whom he will say , Depart from me you Cursed , into Everlasting Fire , prepared for the Devil and his Angels , Matth. 25. 41. Some foolish Virgins against whom the Gates of Heaven will be shut ; v. 10. Some against whom he will come in Flaming Fire to take Vengance , who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction ; 2 Thess. 1. 9. Some that shall never enter into the Kingdom of God ; 1 Cor. 6. 9 , 10. some that shall have their portion in the Lake , that burns with Fire and Brimstone ; Rev. 21. 8. Isa. 27. 11. Yet certainly , God made these Persons : He did not make them to damn them , but by their Impenitency and Unbelief , they damn themselves . As he did not make them to damn them , so he did not make all with an Intention or Resolution to save them ; let them live how they pleased : Now for us to build up hopes upon a foolish Notion , expresly contrary to the Revealed Will of God , is a most unquestionable Folly .

3. If God would save all those that he hath made , To what purpose thinkest thou , hath he given out a Law to direct Mens Conversations ; fortifying it with Promises not onely of good things in this Life , but of another Life , and with threatnings not onely of Misery in this Life , but of Eternal Misery in the Life to come , to those that Presumptuously violate it ? The truth is , this is a principle that none can possibly entertain , unless he be turned Atheist , and believes no Scriptures , no Hell at all : For was Hell prepared for none thinkest thou ? Settle thy self therefore upon this , That God will most certainly turn into Hell , some , and those not a few , of those Men and Women which he hath made .

2. A Second false Notion that some presume upon , is the Redemption purchased by Christ . Christ they say hath died for All , and by the term All , they understand every Man and Woman . Now to avoid this Rock , I shall offer these few things to a Christians serious Consideration :

1. That although it be true in the Scripture-phrase and way of Speaking , that Christ died for All , and for the World ; yet the Scripture no where saith , that Christ died for every Man : And the term All doth very ordinarily signifie Many , or All under such and such Circumstances , of such or such a kind . It is said , Matth. 3. 5. that Jerusalem , and all Judea , and all the Region round about Jordan , went out to John , that is , very many , or some of all sorts ; for none can imagine that every Man , Woman , and Child , went out . There is but one Text that foundeth like a Proof that Christ died for every Man ; it is that , Heb. 2. 9. where we translate it ; That he by the Grace of God should taste Death for every Man ; but it must be restrained by the next verse , where he speaks of many Sons being brought to Glory , and therefore he , the Captain of their Salvation , was made perfect through Sufferings . And in the Greek there is no more than 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , for every ; the Substantive is either 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , and then the sense is , he tasted of every Death , or ( which it may be is more probable ) it must be supplied from the next verse , for every Son who was to be brought unto Glory . But not to enter into that Discourse , onely to caution you from laying too great stress upon Particles in Scripture .

2. Consider ( what I before hinted ) That none of those who hold the utmost Extension of the Death of Christ , as to the Objects , ever said , That all those for whom Christ died should be saved . Those indeed who believe Christ died only for the Elect , assert this ; but those who hold Christ died equally for all , no more for Judas than for Peter ; and those that say Christ by his Death purchased a certainty of Salvation for some , and a possibility of Salvation for all , yet neither of them will say , That all shall be saved for whom Christ died ; which hath made me often admire at Mens heats for these Opinions , which if they could prove to be true , have no more Significancy . Indeed they seem to be calculated for nothing , but the Assertion of a Power in the will of Man , to chuse and do what God requireth , in order to Salvation , and so to be his own Saviour . Now if this be all that any understanding Man pretends to in his asserting that Christ died for all , how is it possible that any particular Soul can from his Belief of it , conclude he shall be saved ?

3. Besides , this Notion is pressed with the same absurdities , as that which I first mentioned ; for he that believeth , That Christ died for all and every Man , and therefore for him , must needs hold Universal Salvation , though not upon the account of Creation , yet upon the account of Christs Redemption ; and this is not onely to hold , what God no where hath revealed in his Word , but that which is directly contrary to the Revelation of the Word ; and that which is contrary to a multitude of Promises and Threatnings ; and will make them to be meerly superfluous and insignificant . The conclusion is , That thou hast no ground from any such Notion ( be it true or false ) to conclude any such thing , as that thou art actually reconciled to God , and shall be saved ; nor did ever any judicious Person so conclude : but I fear thousands of ignorant ordinary Persons build their Hopes here , and my self have by some been told so .

3. A third Notion upon which some may be tempted to presume , is , The Vertue and Efficacy of Baptism . The Jews , you know , rested much upon their Circumcision ; and I fear too many amongst Christians , rest as much upon their Baptism , and their being in it Regenerated and Born again . To arm you against this Temptation , I shall , as to the other , offer you some few things to be considered .

1. None can be confident upon this account , but they must consider Baptism , either as it is the Door into the Church . From thence it must follow , That all those that are Members of the Church of God shall be saved . Or Secondly , As an Ordinance of God , with which God doth constantly concur , in washing away the guilt of Sin by Vertue of the Blood of Christ . I shall shortly shew you that which of these two ways soever Men look upon their Baptism , they can make no such conclusion from it .

1. There is nothing in Scripture to justifie such a Conceit , That all those who are by Baptism admitted , into the Catholick visible Church shall be saved ; for I pray observe in this Notion of Baptism ,

1. It doth no more than Circumcision did under the Old Testament , to which it succeeded . Circumcision was the Door into the Church of the Jews , as Baptism is the Door into the Gospel Church . Now there is nothing clearer in all the Scripture , than that all those that were Circumcised were not saved . Judas was Circumcised , yet a Devil , a Son of Perdition . The Scribes and Pharises , Lawyers and Hypocrites , against whom our Saviour ( in the Gospel ) denounced so many Woes , they were all Circumcised . The Apostle expresly tells us , that Circumcision availeth nothing , nor yet Uncircumcision , but a New Creature . That Circumcision verily profiteth Persons , if they keep the Law , but if they were Breakers of the Law ; their Circumcision is made Uncircumcision ; Rom. 2. 25. That he is not a Jew , which is one outwardly , neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh ; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly , and Circumcision is that of the Heart and the Spirit , and not in the Letter ; whose Praise is of God , not of Men ; v. 28. 29. What is more plain than that of our Saviour , Publicans and Harlots shall enter into the Kingdom of God , and the Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out ; Luke 13. 26 , 27 , 28. v. 25. he is speaking to the Jews , who were all circumcised , all Members of the onely Church , God ( at that day ) had in the World ; When once the Master of the House is risen up , and hath shut the Door , and you begin to stand without , and to knock at the Door , saying , Lord , Lord , open unto us , and he shall answer unto them , I know you not whence you are● : Then shall you begin to say , We have Eaten and Drank in thy Name , and thou hast taught in our Streets . I hope all these were Sons of the Church , and no ordinary Members of it , but v. 27. He shall say I know you not whence you are , depart from me all ye workers of Iniquity ; there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth ; when you shall see Abraham and Isaac ; and Jacob , and all the Prophets , in the Kingdom of God , and you your selves thrust out . And they shall come from the East , and the West , and the North , and the South , and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God . And behold there are last which shall be first , and first which shall be last . So as this alone is no ground of Hope or Confidence to any Soul .

2. This appeareth further from hence , That many Persons be Baptized , and Members of Churches , in whom Faith and Repentance , which the Word of God every where makes necessary to Salvation , are most certainly wanting . Many Persons are Members of the Church by Baptism , who yet are Drunkards , Whoremongers , Lyars , Unbelievers ; such as the Scripture hath expresly said shall have their Portion in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone . Baptism therefore in this Notion affordeth not the least ground of Confidence to any thinking and considerate Soul .

2. Suppose we take Baptism in the Second Notion , as it is an Ordinance of God , instituted for something . It is true , the effect of Baptism , what it is , and how far it extendeth , hath been a great Question amongst Divines : Some ascribing to it the Justification of the Soul , and the Remission of Sins to all ; but then they restrain it to Original Sin , and so it onely ( as I before said ) gives us Comfort as to Children dying in their Infancy ; others maintain , The Regeneration of Elect Infants by Baptism . I shall freely tell you what I judge is all in this Cause .

The most of those Baptized , in the time of the Apostles , were Persons grown up , who had first made a visible Profession of their Repentance and Faith in Christ ; to these Baptism was a Seal of the Forgiveness of Sins , and an Engagement to an Holy Conversation ; as you read , Rom. 6. 4 ; &c. To Infants it is a Seal of the Covenant of Grace , as exhibited to Mankind . That in case they do Repent and Believe , their Sins shall be washed away with the Blood of Christ . To these it is an Ordinance of Admission into the Church . To these it is an Engagement to be the Lords ; an Avouchment of God for their God , and Christ for their Saviour . To these , if when they grow up , they shall Repent and Believe , it shall be as a Fountain of Living Water , springing up in the Soul to Eternal Life ; they shall ( as the Apostle instructeth the Romans ) Rom. 6. 4 , 5 , 6. fetch Arguments , obliging them to die unto Sin and to live unto God . Whether it hath any such immediate Effect , as to all , to justifie them from the guilt of Original Sin , or to Regenerate them , that is , to make a change in their Heart , I shall not dispute , but cannot prove it , nor do understand how possibly it should have any further effect of this Nature , than Circumcision had to the Jews : I am sure the Holy Scripture makes Pardon of Sin and Justification , not the necessary or ordinary Effect of Baptism , but of Confession of Sin , True Repentance , and forsaking of Sin , and True Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ . Flatter not your selves therefore , if there be any Soul that liveth in any known course of Sin , that never confessed his Sins and forsook them , nor knew what godly Sorrow for Sin meant , nor what it was to receive the Lord Jesus Christ , and to believe in him ; onely knoweth he was Baptized , and he liveth in the Church , and is called a Christian , and here he resteth , not doubting , but being confident that he shall be saved . Let me tell him or her , he presumeth , and trusts his Soul upon a Lie ; and that which no weighed Divine , of any Perswasion , would ever say was a sufficient bottom to rest his Soul upon . None ever said that Baptism washed away Sins past and to come ; and those that do ascribe Justification to Baptism , make it such a state as may be lost , and is lost by a course of Actual Sinning .

CHAP. V.

The Notion of a Power in Man to Repent and Believe , agreed by few , if true , no ground of hopes for Eternal Life . Why Mistakes about the Nature of Regeneration , Conversion , Saving Repentance , Faith , Holiness , great Occasions of Presumption . The Truth as to those Notions enquired and proved . What Regeneration , Repentance , Conversion , Faith , Holiness , is necessary to Salvation , and to the raising any Hopes in us with Relation to it .

4. A Fourth Notion which I instanced in as a cause of Presumption , was this , That every Man and Woman hath his Life in his hands , I mean a power in and of himself ( supposing the Common Grace of God denied to none ) to do all that God requireth of him in order to Salvation , is a power to Repent , to Believe , to Love God , &c. Hence many think that there is no haste for Men to deny themselves , or to take up the Cross , or to follow Christ ; they may stay till they are old , and their Eyes can be no longer pleased with Seeing , nor their Ears with Hearing ; if then they do but Repent and Believe , all is well enough . As to which give me leave to speak two or three things .

1. As brisk as this Opinion seemeth to be in the World , I could never yet meet with any so hardy as to affirm , That these things were within the Power of Man , without the Assistance of Special Grace . I have met with many that have talked high for the Power of Mans Will , but when they have been brought to a close Discourse , they would assert it no farther than either as to Moral Actions , or Acts of Moral Discipline . They would affirm indeed , that a Man hath a power to go to Church , instead of going to the Tavern , to turn away his Foot from the House of an Harlot , to do Justly , and an hundred such things : to read , to hear the Word , to pray , to consider his Sins . Now these are things which none denieth , onely we say , his power as to these is much weakened by the fall . So as we doubt whether by Common Grace , and all the Natural Power Man hath , he can do these materially good Actions , when he is pressed with a vehement Temptation : But I say I could never yet meet with any that would say , It is in the power of Man to Believe , to Repent savingly , to Love God , &c.

2. If any doth say so , He saith what is contradicted by a multitude of Scriptures . But it is not my work to enlarge here on that Discourse .

3. In the next place , Those Divines that do hold the greatest Natural Power in the Will of Man , yet do say , Time may be past , that a Man may have sinned away this Natural Power , and have his Heart so hardened in a Course of Sinning , that he may have lost this Power , and so be concluded to an Eternal Misery , which alone ( to considerate Souls ) is enough to spoil its Presumption from this Head . For how shall I , who go on in a Course of Sin , knowingly presume , because I have a power in my self to turn when I will , if it be possible , that I may by a Course of Sinning have so provoked God , as he may have given me up to a judicial blindness of Mind and hardness of Heart .

4. Admitting thou hast such a Power , if it still remaineth established , that this Power must be produced into Act ; and that before thou canst enter into Heaven , thou must actually Repent and Believe ; how dost thou know thou shalt have time for it ? May not God take away thy Soul with a stroke ? May he not come upon thee on the sudden , and say , This Night thy Soul shall be taken from thee ; and then what doth thy Power signifie ? Doest thou not see Men and Women die suddenly ? So that a pretence of such a Power in thee signifies nothing , but that thou art more inexcusable by it , if indeed thou hadst such a Power , that thou didst not use it for the end for which thou hadst it .

5. I proceed now to the great grounds of Mens Presumption , viz. Mistakes as to the Nature of Regeneration , Faith , and Holiness . The Scripture makes all these so necessary to Salvation , that altho some ignorant Persons may build up to themselves , idle and presumptuous Hopes ; because God made them , and Christ died for all Men , and they are Christians and Baptized ; &c. yet considerate Persons plainly must see , That unless a Man be born again , of Water and the Spirit , he can never enter into the Kingdom of God ; they are the indisputable words of our Saviour , John 3. 3. And St. Paul plainly saith that , Neither Circumcision availeth any thing , nor uncircumcision , but a new Creature : Our Saviour saith : He that believeth not , is condemned already , he shall never see Life , &c. The Apostle saith , without Faith and Holiness , no Man shall see the Lord : No considering Man therefore can possibly raise up to himself any hopes of the Pardon of Sin , or Eternal Life , but he must satisfy himself , that he is Regenerated ; that he doth Believe ; and that he doth so far Obey , as God will accept it . To this purpose nothing can serve the Devils turn so effectually , as for the Soul to be deceived in the Notions of Faith and Holiness : Nothing can be more the concernment of the Soul , than to take care it be not deceived . There have been several Notions of Faith that have striven for Mastery in the World .

1. The first is the Popish Notion , who make Faith to be the Souls Assent to the Proposition of the Word , which may be without any Practical Obedience ; for many a Man assenteth to the truth of the Proposition , which yet he alloweth not an influence upon his Life ; and indeed this is such a Faith , as the Apostle tells us , the Devils are possessed of , They Believe and Tremble .

2. The Second is their Notion , who make Justifying Faith to be what our Saviour tells us it is , John 1. 12. A Receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ , a closing , an hearty closing with him as offered in the Gospel , hoping , trusting in him , and him alone for Salvation . No Soul can possibly do this , that doth not first Assent to the Proposition of the Gospel , and agree to what that Revealeth concerning Christ ; both as to his Person , and as to his willingness to Save : But it is possible that a Soul may Assent to those Propositions , and yet not Receive Christ upon the Terms he propoundeth . This Receiving Christ and Trusting in him as their Saviour , they say necessarily draws on Holiness and Obedience ( though Faith and Love are two things ) for the rational Nature of Man will not suffer him to hope or trust in another for any kindness , which he hath promised upon Terms , without the fulfilling of those Terms upon which it is promised ; but this they say may be without any certain Assurance of the Souls Acceptation , which a man cannot have until he be Justified .

3. A Third , is the Notion of them who make it a full Assurance of the Love of God ; but yet such a one as obligeth the Soul to all manner of Duty : and this seems to have been the Notion of some Eminent Divines upon our first Reformation , but is rejected by latter Divines , as it being not possible that that should be an Instrument in our Justification , which it is not possible that any Soul should have till it be Justified : besides that many a Pious Devout Soul hath not arrived at this .

4. Others make it to be a confident Perswasion , that Christ died for them ; whether they find themselves obliged to Live to him yea or no.

5. Others make it to be a Practical Assent to the Gospel .

The danger of a Souls Presuming , is from the first and the fourth of these principally . If Men and Women think they do Believe because they do agree to the Proposition of the Gospel , they may easily run away with a vain Imagination , that all the Promises of the Gospel are their Portion , when indeed not one of them belongs to them ; because this Believing is not that Believing which the Scriptures make necessary to Salvation : for the evidence of which , suffer me to offer these few things to your Consideration .

1. Because this Assent may be without any Holiness or Conformity to the Will of God : Murtherers , Traytors , Thieves do agree to the Proposition of Humane Laws , though they prodigiously violate them . There may be an Assent of the Understanding to a Proposition , to which Mens Lusts and Passions suffer them not to live up to ; but we know that without Holiness none can see God , and therefore this cannot be that Believing to which the Promises of seeing God and living with him are annexed .

2. Because as I said before , the Devils thus Believe ; yea I believe better than the most of Men do . For our Assent to a Doctrine according to the workings of our Reasonable Natures , is more or less , according to our Evidence of it . Now the Devils have seen the Propositions of the Gospel , That Christ is the Eternal Son of God : That he was made Man , and died for our Sins . These are Propositions , which the Devils having been in the World ever since the Creation , must needs see in a better Light than any Man can do , who onely seeth the truth of them by the light of Reason , or the Revelation of Scripture , not imprinted upon his Soul by the Demonstration of the Spirit , Revealing perticularly to the Soul what is generally Revealed in the Word .

3. Thirdly Consider , That every where in Scripture , A Person , the Person of Christ , is made the object of that Faith ; to which the Promises of Life are made : It is made a believing in Christ ; on his Name , a Receiving of him , a comeing to him . Now a Proposition , not a Person , is the object of Assent : We indeed sometimes say , We Assent to such , or such a Person ; But the meaning is , we agree to such a Proposition , which he hath delivered by word of Mouth , or by Writing . The Object of Justifying Faith , the Scripture makes to be the Person of the Mediator : I therefore begg of you , to take heed that you deceive not your Souls , by this Notion of Faith .

And take as much heed of their wild Notion , who make Faith to be nothing else but an assumed confidence that Christ died for them , let them live as they list . This separateth Faith and Holiness , without which no man shall see the Lord ; and is indeed nothing better in it self , than a most bold and unwarrantable presumption , exclusive of that fear and trembling with which we are commanded to work out our Salvation .

Their Notion is far better , who make Faith to be a practical Assent , but still ( I pray observe ) the Act of the Soul , is made to be Assent , and the Object of Assent can be no other than a Proposition , and for my own part , I cannot think this the Act of that Faith that Justifieth ; for the Object of that Act as I said before , is in Scripture constantly made the Mediator himself , not a meer Proposition : I am afraid of this Notion , as calculated to justle Christ out of the place of a Mediator , wherein God hath set him ; which was not onely to treat with his Father about the Terms of Mans Salvation , but to stand as the middle Person between God and Man , to merit Salvation for us , by his Active and Passive Obedience , by a gracious Act of God to be reckoned to us , upon our Acceptance of him , and trusting the Weight of our Souls upon him ; which cannot be without our Assent to the Propositions of the Word : for upon the Credit of that onely it is , that the Soul applies it self to Christ , and goes to him and receiveth him : Nor can it possibly be without practicial Holiness , and a Regard to all Gods Commandments , and a sincere indeavour to observe them ; for as I said before , he must talk like a mad-man , that should pretend to hope in , or trust to another , for a great benefit , which that other hath promised , upon such or such Conditions , whilest in the mean time , he neither doth nor regard to perform those Conditions ; and let him talk what he will , he cannot heartily and truly hope for such benefits : But yet Believing is not a meer Assent , nor is it practicial Holiness , but a closing with and receiving of Christ as the Mediator and Saviour of Man upon the Terms of his Revealed Will . And I do very much fear that he who hopeth for Pardon of Sin , or Eternal Lise and Salvation , without this believing , will never see the Face of God .

2. But as false Notions of Faith are to be taken heed of , as exceeding contributory to Presumption : So must false Notions of Repentance and Holiness , be equally taken heed of . The Popish Divines , have infinitly contributed to deceive the World here . Repentance in its true Notion , is an hearty sorrow for Sin , bringing forth an hatred and detestation of it , and utmost indeavours for the forsaking of it . The Papists make it to ly in some Attrition , Auricular Confession , Satisfaction , doing some good Works , or some Acts of External Discipline and Penance , and saying they are sorry , &c. It is manifest , that the Will of God makes Repentance necessary to Remission of Sins and Eternal Life , Acts 2. 38. Repent every of you in the Name of Christ , for the Remission of Sins ; 3. 19. Repent therefore and be converted , that your Sins may be blotted out . God commandeth all Men to Repent , Acts 17. 30. We must Repent and turn to God , Acts 26. 20. Now admitting that Repentance comprehends not onely , a sense of Sin and sorrow for it , but an hatred of it , and a turning from all Sin to God ; and Men be possessed that it is no more than to own our selves Siners , to confess our Sins , let it be in the Ears of the Priest , or in the Congregation ; and profess a sorrow for them , whether we forsake them or no : It is an easy thing for Men and Women upon these slighty and little performances , to presume and promise to themselves Remission of Sins and Eternal Life ; for Repentance hath the promise of both annexed to it . But Christians do not mistake , to your own destruction , Men may go to God a thousand times , and own to him , and that with Tears , that they have Sinned ; they may reckon all particular Sins ; they may confess them as Papists do , in the Ears of the Priest ; they may confess them as Protestants do , in their Closets , in their Families , in the Congregation ; if this be all , it is far enough from Repentance . Judas repented and went and hanged himself , Mat. 27. 3. He that confesseth his Sins and forsaketh them , shall have Mercy , Pro. 28. 13. And whoso hopeth for Mercy and Forgiveness from God , and Eternal Life , upon any other Repentance , will find he doth but Presume ; and this Repentance must proceed from , and is a part of Regeneration , which is a change of the Heart , and of the whole Man : Repentance signifieth no less ; it is 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , a change of the Mind ; and 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , a change of Mans Counsels and Designs ; it doth not lie in the dropping of a few Tears , nor in a little formal acknowledgment of Guilt , but in such a sense of Sin as produceth an hatred and detestatian of it , and a leaving and forsaking of it : Now if Men take Baptisme for Regeneration , and Confession and some Acts of Discipline for Repentance ; and turning from some particular flagitious courses for Conversion , it is an easy thing for them to deceive their own Souls by Presumption , and to snatch at the promises , and take up hasty and groundless hopes of the Pardon of Sin , and of Eter●al Life and Salvation . Nor is there any Armour of proof against this Fiery Dart , but the possessing your Souls with the true Notion of these things . Consult the Holy Scriptures , see in what they make true Repentance , Saving Faith , Regeneration , and Conversation to lie . The Holy Scriptures alone can make you wise in these things , and whatsoever Notions of these things you take up , if they be not justified from holy Writt , there is no truth in them : Faith in Christ , Repentance for Sin against God , Regeneration , Conversion , are things we should never have thought of , at least not as things necessary to Eternal Life and Salvation , if the Scripture had not revealed them to us as such ; and from the Holy Scriptures alone we must take the measures of them . That alone is saving Faith , that alone is Regeneration , Repentance unto Life , Conversion , which the Scripture makes so . Let who will give you their Notions of these things , bring them to the Light , to the Holy Word of God ; and withal remember to compare Scripture with Scripture , for in the Scriptures all these Terms are taken in several Senses . St. James saith , the Devils Believe . Simon Magus Believed and was Baptized , Judas Repented , yet none of thess were saved . Consult therefore the Scriptures , where they speak of these things , as the Conditions of Pardon , and Eternal Life and Salvation , to which the Promises are annexed .

But yet again there are also false Notions of other parts of Holiness taken up , as conducive as any other to this Presumption . The Scripture you know makes Holiness necessary to Salvation : It tells us , that without it we shall never see God . Take heed of false Notions of this , that Holiness lyeth in an Obedience to Gods Commands , none can deny , and that as well in the avoiding and taking heed of whatever the Law of God forbids , as doing what the Law of God commandeth ; onely let me mind you ,

1. That the Law of God doth not onely respect the outward , but the inward Man , Jer. 31. 33. Psal. 51. 6. Psal. 5. 9. Math. 5. Ro. 2. 29. This our Saviour sufficiently justifieth in that better Interpretation of the Law which he gave , than that which was given by the Scribes and Pharises , who made the violation or observation of the Law , to be onely in the External over Acts : The Law forbidding Men to Kill , forbiddeth them any inward Motions of their Hearts , any Passions tending thereunto .

2. That the Law of God ; Commanding the end , or forbidding the end , doth also command or forbid all means tendent to such an end .

3. That the performance or forbearance of these things commanded in the Law of God , is not Holiness , unless it be out of a Principle of Love and Obedience to God : A man may do what God hath commanded , and yet not eying the Command of God , be carried out to it from other Motives . Now this is no Obedience , no keeping of the Commandements of God .

4. That no Obedience is true , but what is Universal : I do not say perfect ( for who liveth and sinneth not ? ) but Universal . There is an equal respect to the whole Law of God , Psal. 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed ( saith David ) when I have respect to all thy Commandements : The Reason is plain , because who so doth or avoideth an Action purely upon this Reason , because God hath commanded , or God hath forbidden it , will find himself under the same Obligation to do whatever God hath commanded , and to avoid whatsoever God hath forbidden ; yet is not a Christian to measure his Obedience from his performance , but from the regard which he hath in his Heart to the whole Law of God ; conjoyned with a proportionable endeavour , tho our Corruption will sometimes be too hard for us .

5. If a Man or Woman hath built up his Hopes , as to the remission of Sins ( of which he as yet hath no Assurance ) and 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 Eternal Life upon this , that God having in the Gospel made a Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ , as he upon whom he hath laid the Salvation of Men ; and having wrought in his Heart a firm and steady Assent , to what God hath there revealed , and inabled him to accept of this Salvation , and to close with Gods way of Salvation , casting all the Concerns of his Soul for Pardon and Salvation upon Jesus Christ ; and that he hath by his Spirit made a change in his Heart ; that he now hateth all Sin , and loveth God and the Commandments of God , and hath a regard to them all , desiring to do whatsoever God hath commanded , and to avoid whatsoover he hath forbidden , and that because he hath commanded the one and forbidden the other ; and accordingly endeavoureth in his whole Conversation , though he be many times over born with Temptations , and finds a Law in his Members , rebelling against and prevailing against the Law of his Mind , and bringing him into Captivity to the Law of Sin . This Man now builds his Hopes not presumptuously , but upon the clear Revelation of the Will of God in his Word . But less than this is no better than Presumption from false Notions , taken up of Regeneration , Conversion , Repentance , Saving Faith , and True Holiness . Yet further , In order to the avoiding of this Temptation , take heed of taking up scanty and narrow Notions of the Law of God . It is indeed a snare unto a Soul so to interpret the Divine Law , so as to doubt and fear Actions that are lawful , as if they were forbidden . But it is a more dangerous Rock for a Man to dash upon , so to interpret Gods Law , as to make those things lawful which God hath forbidden ; or to undeestand those things as unlawful , or at least indifferent , which God hath commandeded ; but I hinted it before to you and I now tell it you again . There is none that is but moderately acquainted with the Srriptnres , and with the Writings of the Popish Casuists , but will plainly see that it hath been the great Design of their Divines for a long time , to interterpret the Law of God so , as Men might keep their Lusts , and yet keep the Commandments of God , according to the sense they have put upon them . In short , Obedience to the Church , is almost with them The whole Duty of Man . There are some others that came too near them , making strange loose Interpretations of the Law of God . The precept for not taking Gods Name in vain , they say is onely to be understood against Perjury . The 4th . Commandement , onely commandeth the keeping such days holy , as the Church appoints . These and such like Interpretations serve for nothing , but to help a Soul to presume : And indeed this loose Interpretation of the Law of God , is necessary to all such , as maintain the Justification of the Soul , not by the Righteousness of Christ , but by a Righteousness of our own : And that Man hath a Power in himself , to do all that God requireth of him : I say it is necessary , for those Men to interpret Gods Law , into a consistancy with Mans Power : But let all good Christians that value their Souls , take heed of those Interpretations . Let them but Interpret the Commandements , so as by them shall be commanded and forbidden whatsoever is commanded and forbidden in the Word of God , and then they will easily discern these fallacies ; and so they must interpret them , or they cannot conclude , that the Ten Commandements contain the sum of all that God hath commanded us to do and avoid ; for it is most certain that the whole Scripture , is as much the Revealed Will of God as the Ten Commandments , and hath equal Authority with us . Be acquainted therefore with the Scriptures , and call that Obedience and Holiness , which that calleth so ; and be assured that let Men tell you what they will , without that Holiness , that Obedience , no Man shall see God . I have dwelt a little the longer upon this head , because indeed the great mistakes of Men are upon these points , that Men fancy that their case is good , that they believe enough , and are holy enough to go to Heaven ; nay to plead their Holiness as a Righteousness in which they shall adventure to appear before God .

6. A Sixth Notion which I instanced in of this mischievous tendency : Is the Power of a Priest or Minister to give Absolution : So as if while they live the Minister hath absolved them , or if when they come to die , they can but Receive the Sacrement , be absolved , they conclude their Case is good enough . The Opinion is in its Original perfectly Popish , but founded on that Text , Whose Sins soever you remit they are remitted , and whose Sins soever you retain , they are retained ; John 20. 23. The words are spoken to Christs Disciples , upon whom he breathed , v. 22. and said , Receive you the Holy Ghost : then he adds , Whose Sins soever you remit , they are remitted , and whose Sins soever you retain , they are retained . And this Power , saith the Papist , every Priest hath , he deriveth from the Apostles , and hath the same Power given to him which Christ gave them : And there is a Tincture of this Doctrine , upon the Spirits of some that are no professed Papists ; and I perswade my self , that many less knowing People peniciously rest upon it : I shall therefore a little inlarge upon it .

1. In the first place . That God onely can forgive Sins , is a Principle so consonant to Reason ; and so abundantly Confirmed in Holy Writ , that certainly none can make the least doubt of it . Sin is a debt , a debt to the Justice of God ; Christ hath taught us to pray with Reference to it : Forgive us our debts , as we forgive our debtors . Now Reason tells us , that none can discharge a debt , but he onely to whom it is owing ; it is an injury done to God , and who can forgive it , but the Person that hath received it : So that all the Question can be , Whether God hath not commissionated Mininisters to do it in his Name , and will not ratifie what they do .

2. Secondly , It is so great a Prerogative of God , so great a piece of his Glory , that it is a verry unreasonable thing for any to think , that God should trust it out of his hands : Christ indeed ( who thought it no Robbery to be Equal with the Father , and who had all Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him , had Authority on Earth to forgive Sins , but no Creature had ever such a power : It is a piece of the Lords Name , I , even I , am he that blotteth out Transgressions for my Names sake : It is his Glory , which he will not give unto another .

3. Thirdly , It cannot be imagined but that our Lord knew well enough , That if a Power of Forgiving Sins should be intrusted to every Minister , many Mens Sins would be remitted expresly contrary to the whole Tenour of the Gospel . They know not who Believe , nor who truly Repent ; they can judge but according to the outward appearance . Now Thousands may appear to us true Believers , and truly Penitent , that are not so ; and so consequently many Unbelievers , many Hypocrites and hard hearted Sinners , should have their Sins remitted : Besides Ministers are no better then Elijah , Men subject to like passions with other Men ; and out of Passion or Prejudice , might refuse to Remit their Sins who did truly Believe and truly Repent ; and can any Man think that our Lord should commit such a power to those who are so Fallible , who are no competent Judges of Persons whom God indeed will Pardon ; but might through Ignorance , or through Passion and Corruption , pronounce a Forgiveness of Sin , or a not Forgiveness , directly contrary to the Will of God ? Or will any be so mad as to think that every Minister is Infallible ? Or that God will in Heaven confirm what they do upon Earth , directly contrary to the Will of God ? The Papists indeed contend the Pope is Infallible , but is every Priest so too ? Or can they think that God will confirm his Errours contrary to his own Revealed Will , as to those Terms upon which alone he will forgive the Sins of any .

4. It must therefore be understood onely of a Declarative Forgiveness , Whose Sins soever you shall according to my Will declare Remitted , they shall be Remitted ; and whose Sins soever you shall according to my Revealed Will declare not to be Forgiven , they shall not be Forgiven . Now this Declaration may be either General or Particular : Generally , every Minister that Preacheth the Gospel , Declareth . That he who confesseth his Sins and forsaketh them , shall have Mercy : That he who Believeth shall be Saved more particularly . If any Christian in any distress , shall ask the Judgment of any Minister , having declared the state of his Soul to him , so as to give him a probable Hope , that he heartily hath repented , and doth truly believe ; the Minister may Declare , If these things be true which thou hast told me , if indeed thou truly repentest , and truly believest in the Lord Jesus Christ ; God hath Forgiven thine Iniquities . But the truth of the latter , dependeth on the truth of the former , and it is impossible that any Minister should have any other Power to Forgive any ones Sins , or Authority to declare them to be Forgiven ; for he must not pronounce contrary to the Scripture : and therefore our Liturgy says no more , Then that God hath given Power and Authority to his Ministers , to declare Remission of Sins to those that truly repent and believe his Holy Gospel .

5. The Apostles had , I cannot say any further Authority , but a further Advantage , for this , than ordinary Ministers ; having a more extraordinary Revelation , a more extraordinary ability to dicsern Spirits . Without doubt the Apostles themselves were not authorized by Christ , to declare to any Impenitent , any Unbelieving Soul , that his or her Sins were forgiven ; for this had been for our Lord to have contradicted himself . Indeed the Apostles might and did see further into Men than any can now do , by reason of the extraordinary Gift of the Holy Ghost ; and therefore it immediately is said before , He breathed upon them , and said , Receive the Holy Ghost . I know none now to whom Christ so breatheth upon , and to whom he saith , Receive the Holy Ghost ; yet as the Hebrew Docters say , Spiritus Sanctus non semper tangit corda Prophetarum : The Spirit of God did not always touch the the Hearts of the Prophets ; the Prophets could not always Prophecy , but onely when the Spirit of Prophecy came upon them . So though the Apostles could sometimes by vertue of that extraordinary Gift of discerning Spirits , discern Spirits , yet I do not think they could allways ; for if they could , the Apostles would never have Baptized Simon Magnus whom he by and by told , That he was in the gall of bitterness , and bands of iniquity .

6. This being all can be affirmed of any Ministers , with any Sense or Modesty , the Papists in the Council of Trent , had no ground to Curse all those that held , That the Words of Christ , Whose Sins you remitt , are remitted ; are to be understood of an Authority to Preach the Gospel , or that the Priests Absolution is not a Judicial but a Ministerial Act. Yet this new Doctrine passed not those that were assembled in that Popish Council without Contradiction . Concil. Trid. Sess. 14. cap. 3. & cap. 9. The Franciscan Divines , told them , That it was the Opinion of Hierom and P. Lombard and Bonaventure , and almost all the School-Men , That the Absolution in the Sacrament of Penance ( as they called it ) is but a Declaration that his Sins are remitted , and Pelargus told them , That that Text , Whose Sins you remit , are remitted ; by the Ancients , is not ( as to their Sense ) limited to the Sacrament of Penance ; nay perhaps not by any one of them so understood : Because this Doctrine of the Priests or Ministers Absolution , savours much of the Popish Doctrine ; I will a little shew you what their Doctrine is in the Case . 1. They hold that Original Sin is washed away in Baptism ; then Children are regenerated and justified . 2. But in regard that after Baptisme , Men sin many times a day , they have therefore devised a Sacrament of Penance ( as they call it ) The matter of which they make to be Contrition , Confession and Satisfaction ; the Minister of it to be a Priest good or bad ; for they determine that a Priest guilty of Mortal Sin , may administer this Sacrament ; the vertue of which they say , doth not depend upon the quality of the Priest , but the Character of his Ordination . Contrition , indeed , they make an hearty sorrow for Sin : Confession they say is not onely necessary in private to God , but in the Ears of the Priest ; for , say they , how can he absolve and remit Sins , if he doth not know them ; and that in their Circumstances : So that their Doctrine of the necessity of Auricular Confession ( upon which account they all have their Confessors ) depends upon this Doctrine of the Priests Absolution , all the pretended necessity of it is in order to the receiving that benefit . Then they further say , That God doth onely Pardon the Eternal guilt of Sin ; and Christ hath onely satisfied for that : So that for the removal of Temporary Punishments , there must be also Satisfaction . Hence their Priests have power to appoint People Pilgrimages , Building of Churches , Paying sums of Money for Satisfaction . This Penance being undergone , they do declare that any Priest ( being appointed thereto by the Church ) may in ordinary Causes , not onely Declaratively , but Judicially , Pardon and Absolve the Sinner : but if an higher Priest , a Bishop , or the Pope , hath reserved some Cases in which he or they alone will have power to Absolve , and to appoint to Penances and Satisfactions , in those , they onely can do it the more private , Priests cannot : This is their Doctrine . Protestants now say , that God alone can forgive Sins , but by his Ministers , in the Preaching of the Gospel , he doth declare a Mans Sins are forgiven , who have a true Contrition , who truly repent , and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ , fully forgive them ; so that he expecteth no further Satisfaction for the Sinner , than that which was long since given by the Blood of Christ , who hath Trod the Wine-press of his Fathers Wrath alone , and finished all that Work : They say indeed , that Confession of Sins in most causes is sufficient to God alone : It is he alone that can forgive them . In some Causes indeed a more open Confession is necessary : 1. When the Church hath been publikely Scandilized , not that this is necessary in order to Gods Pardon , but as an Act of Obedience to Gods Will ; and for a more Comfortable Brotherly Communion , and the Churches Satisfaction ; that the Person ought not to be longer kept out of its Communion . 2. They say further , That in the case of great Horrors of Conscience and Terrors upon Peoples Spirits , it may be of great advantage to particular Christians under such Terrors , to confess some particular Sins unto their Judicious Brethren , or unto their Faithful Ministers , but not in order to their Pardon of them , but in order to their Prayer to God for them , and offering words in season unto them that are weary ; and being more knowing and mighty in the Scriptures than they are , from the Scriptures , declaring the Will of God in their case , comforting them , if their case will bear comfort from the Word of God , or otherwise advising them , what to do according to the Will of God , that they may receive true and solid comfort and Peace .

They do also further say , that Satisfaction where any hath wronged another , is necessary , if in our Power , as in Cases of Theft , &c. but for any necessity of any other Confession , or Satissaction , in order to Gods Forgiveness of the Sin ; they do not understand it , nor believe it : And for Judicial Absolution , they say it is Gods alone Act , and that all that the Minister can do , is to declare the Will of God to People in case they do truly Repent and Believe , that God hath , doth , and will , forgive them freely for Christs sake : In the mean time they do not deny but God may concurr with the Minister , as his Ordinance , giving a sense of the Remission of Sins , ( which Remission was before given them upon their Repentance and believing in Truth ) to them , while the Minister faithfully declareth the Will of God , for the pardoning such as truly Repent and Believe ; but if any person be Absolved by a Minister , hath cheated him , and pretended Repentance and true Faith , having no such thing his heart : Or if any Minister hath either through Ignorance or Passion , declared a Persons Sins forgiven , whose Sins ( while he is in those Circumstances ) God hath said he will not forgive , he may have cheated his own Soul , or the Minister may have cheated him , but God is not mockt , his sins remain , notwithstanding his pretended Absolution . God dispenseth out the Grace of forgiveness , not according to the Ignorance and Passions of Men , but according to the Rules of Holy Scripture , which is the Revelation of his Divine Will. 2. Trust not therefore to any such vain Imaginations , no nor to the Receiving of the Sacrament , either in thy life time or at thy death : That the Lords Supper is an Ordinance of God , by which God doth signify and seal the Remission of Sins and Eternal Life , by the commemoration of Christs death to such as truly repent , and believe , is out of question , but that God in that Ordinance doth give Remission of Sins , or hath appointed it , so signifie , seal , or convey , the pardon of Sin to any unbelieving Impenitent Soul , is a very great Errour . Such Persons may Eat and Drink there , but it can be nothing but Judgment and Condemnation . This hath made me frequently admire at some persons fondness of that Holy Ordinance , when they apprehend themselves in danger of Death , who never made Conscience of it in the time of their Health and Life ; especially considering that it cannot be administred in a right order , viz. In the Communion of the Church , where many who are joyned in one body , eat of that one bread : Upon which all Protestant Churches reject private Administrations of that Institution and upon just grounds . Christ first gave it to the 12 , ( at least to 11 of them ) we never read the Apostles Examples or Directions , to or of any such Administrations upon this Account , unless some particular Persons that have had long and lingring Sicknesses , and of that nature as have not influenced their head , nor so indisposed them , but their minds could attend to the Action ; some of which I have known desiring a competent number of the Church with them , privately to partake in the Ordinance , from the publick Participation of which they have been long hindred . I do not know that I ever knew any judicious Christian so much as desire such an Administration , but many others I have ; which makes me think some more Ignorant People rest upon it , and trust to it : We know the Popish Notion of it , and what a stir they make with the Host , carrying it about in great state to dying Persons : And I fear a tang of their Doctrine , yet sticks in the minds of many who are professed Protestants . We know what a trade the Papist make of their Doctrines of Auricular Confession ; Satisfactions , and Private Masses , Celebrated for the living and the dead : and were it not for the gain came into their Purses by them , they could not be so fond of such absurd Opinions and Practices . But Christians take heed of these Notions , which tend to nothing , but to nourish Presumptions in your Souls ; and that you may take heed of them , let me mind you of 2 Passages of our Saviours , Mark 4. 24. Take heed what you hear , and Luk. 8. 18. Take heed how you hear , Take heed how you hear ; hear as those noble Bereans , Acts 17. 10 , 11. They received the Word with readiness of Mind , and searched the Scriptures whether th●se things were so , yet St. Paul himself was the Preacher ; and good Reason , for the same Paul hath commanded , That if he , or an Angel from Heaven , should bring any other Doctrine then what they had received , what was according to the Gospel , they should be Accursed , Gal 1. 8. in doing this you will take heed what you hear , and whom you hear too . The Influence of Notions upon the Mind is very great ; our Hopes will be built upon the Notions which we receive : Takeheed therefore what Notions you receive , see them solidly founded in and proved by the Word of God ; be assured else there is no light in them .

7. A Seventh Notion I shall but name ( for it is perfectly Popish ) concerning a Satisfaction for Sin after this life by Purgatory , out of which too men may get by the Prayers of the Saints , or by Masses said for them , or by an Indulgence or Pardon . This is that which they say , That if any die in Venial Sin , or under the debt of Punishment when the guilt is acquitted ; that is when the Priest hath Absolved them , but they have not performed the Penance and given the Satisfaction which the Priest hath enjoyned ; all such go not into Heaven , but go into a place they know not where , which they call Purgatory ; where till they come out ( which also shall be they know not when , for they are not agreed in the time of Souls lying there ) they shall be Tormented ( they know not how ) some say by a material Fire , some say by a metaphorical Fire , some say by Water and Fire too ; but by giving so much money for so many Masses , or by a Pardon from the Pope , or many other ways , they may get out sooner . And this Doctrine doubtless destroyeth thousands of Souls amongst them ; they love their Lusts better than their Moneys , and venture to live and die in their sinful Courses , and then bequeath a good part of their Estates for saying Masses , &c. to get them out of Purgatory , when alas poor wretches ! they are in the bottomless Pit from which is no Redemption for ever . But it is enough to have named these horrible things ; this Ridiculous Fire serves now for nothing but to keep the Popes Kitchin warm , and the Priests pot boyling , and to damn poor silly Papists by Presumption ; it hardly hurteth a very ordinary Protestants Conscience . But I shall enlarge no further upon this first Direction , for avoiding a Temptation to Presumption , by taking heed of Notions which lead the Soul right on upon it , and indeed serve for little else . I proceed to a Second Direction .

CHAP. VI.

Further Directions for the avoiding Presumption , considering the greatness of the guilt , of the danger , how many miscary by it . To be possessed of the difficulty of being Saved , the pa●city of those who shall be saved . Self Examination , Rules for it . Takeing heed of Sinning against Light . Prayer to God Working out our Salvation with Fear .

2. POssess your Souls Secondly ( if you would avoid this great Temptation ) with the greatness of Sin , and danger of Presumption , and the great multitudes which split eternally on this Rock . Here are three things offered to your Consideration ,

1. The greatness of the Sin of Presumption . This will be understood partly by considering the Nature of it , partly by considering the Revelation of Gods wraih against it , as to the Nature of it . 1. It Robbeth God of the Glory of his Justice , it indeed seemeth to give God the honour of his Goodness and Mercy , but it makes him an Idol of Mercy , and despoileth him of his Justice , and Purity , and Holiness : God indeed is Gracious and Merciful ; but he is also a God of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity : a God before whom Sinners shall not stand in Judgment ; a God that cannot clear the Guilty . Now that Soul that goes on in its sinful Courses , and yet hopes to find Favour with God , and to go to Heaven at last , doth think that God is not so holy and pure a God as indeed he is , or that he is not so Just as he is ; either that he hath not Power to be Revenged upon Sinners , or not so just a Will and steady a resolution to be revenged upon such as go on in their Courses of Ungodliness , as indeed he hath . Now consider with they self how great a sin it must be , either to deny the Purity and Holiness of God , or the Power and Justice of God : The Presumptuous Sinner saith , God is not of so pure Eyes , but he can abide Iniquity ; a Sinner may dwell in his sight : whereas God could not be God if he could not be Just , or not be Holy and Pure : Holiness is a piece of Gods Glory , he is not only Glorious in Majesty , but he is also Glorious in Holiness . 2. And as the Justice and Purity of God is Impeached by Presumption , so his Truth is also Impeached : The Presumptuous Sinner doth in effect say , The Scripture is a Lie and a Romance : for the language of his heart is directly contrary to the language of Scripture , that saith , such and such Sinners shall never enter into the Kingdom of God , but shall have their portion in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone : He saith I am such a one , yet I shall enter into the Kingdom of God , I shall not have my portion in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone . What is this but either to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God , or to deny that which is contained in them to be truth ; and so to make God a liar ; who is a God that cannot lie ? Judge you how great an Iniquity this must be . And if the Impeachment of a Mans truth be counted such a violation of his honour , that he knoweth not how to put it up , but is ready to revenge it with a Stab ; what shall God do , who cannot lie ? So that three eminent Attributes of God , Purity , Justice , and Truth , are all of them questioned , impeached , or denyed , by the Presumption of a Sinner . And Presumption is not only a Transgression of the Law of God , but containeth in it a secret Impugning of the Divine Nature ; and transformeth God into a being that is not Pure and Holy , at least not so Pure and Holy , but it can abide Sin well enough , that either cannot or will not be revenged upon Sinners ; that can declare one thing and do another .

2. Secondly , The magnitude of any Sin is well taken and judged , from the Revelation of Divine Wrath against it . And it is but just and equal to judge that the greatest Sin , against which God doth most severely reveal his Wrath. As to this we shall need look no further then the Text , which I have made the foundation of this Discourse , Deut. 29. It is the Presumptuous Sinner that is spoken of , v. 19. That heareth the words of the Law , and the words of the Curse annexed to the violation of the Law , and yet blesseth himself in his heart , and saith , I shall have peace , though I walk in the Imagination of my Heart , and add drunkenness to thirst . Now what shall the Righteous God do to such a Man ? v. 20. The Lord will not spare him , but then the Anger of the Lord and his Jealousy shall smoke against that Man ▪ and all the Curses that are written in this Book shall be upon him ; and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven , v. 21. And the Lord shall seperate him to Evil out of all the Tribes of Israel , according to all the Curses of the Covenant that are written in this Book of the Law . What is possible to be added to that Commination ? What can be more severely spoken ? So as if we may judge of the greatness of a Sin , by the greatness of the Curses that are annexed to him that committeth it , we have all the reason imaginable to judge Presumption one of the greatest degrees of sinning , by which it is possible that a Sinner should provoke God .

2. A Second thing which I offered to your consideration was , the danger of Presumption , as to these things ; Presumptions ( as your reason will tell you in other things ) are very dangerous in three Cases ; and such all wise Men will take heed of .

1. Where the Good expected , or the Evil we expect an immunity from , are of a very high and important Nature : A Man may venture to Presume of a Victory in a Case at Law , where if he be overthrown he may lose 40 , 50 , 100 l. in such Cases he will say he knows the worst of it , if he be mistaken it is but a money matter , it is but the loss of such and such a sum of money ; but a man will not do so where his life is in danger ; he will there look for sufficient grounds to hope he shall escape his Enemies charge : Christian , the concern we are speaking of , is not the concern of thy Estate , 't is not the concern of thy Life , it is the concern of thy Body and Soul to all Eternity ; it becomes thee as thou art a Reasonable Creature here , to beware of presuming , or building upon the sand of insufficient grounds . Thy Soul , thy Eternal well or ill Being , is the concern of thy hopes here , if they be w●ll bottomed thou art happy for ever , if they be ill bottomed thou art undone for ever : It is not triffling , nor flattering thy self here , Eternity depends upon it ; thou art a Creature ordained to an Eternity of Bliss or Misery ; it is about this thy hopes is exercised : O Consider of what import this good or evil is .

2. Presumptions are very pernicious , when a due care might in time be taken to prevent the Evil , or obtain the Good : Only Presumption of the needlessness of care hindreth . In Law Presumptions are never admitted for proof , if more positive proof can be had ; a man in pleading might speak for a Sinner , building upon Presumptuous Hopes , if he could come to no other ; but this is not the Case of any Soul : We indeed cannot come to one Soul in our Congregations , and say to him , or to her , Thou art Elected and shalt certainly be saved ; but neither can we come to any one Soul and say , Thou art a Reprobate and shalt certainly be damned : Any Soul for ought we know , lies fair for Heaven ( especially such I mean as are within the bosome of the Church , and in whose streets Christ is Preached . We indeed , considering the courses of Sin in which many live , can come to them , and tell them , In this state wherein you live at present , and according to that course of life which you at present follow , you can have no good hope that God hath forgiven your Sins , or that you shall ever come into the Kingdom of God : But what you may do , what change may be made in your hearts , what alteration or reformation in your life , that we cannot tell : Now Men and Womens Presumptions hinder the use of those means , by which they might make their Calling and Election sure ; they say , They have their life in their hands , therefore they are not grieved ( as the Prophet speaketh ) though in another case , Isaiah 57. 10. They say with the Church of Laodicea , Rev. 3. 17. That they have need of nothing , when in the mean time they are Wretched , and Miserable , and Poor , and Blind , and Naked ; and therefore it is , they look no further after the Eternal Concerns of their Souls : they do not buy of Christ Gold tryed in the fire , that they may be rich , and white Rayment , that they may be Cloathed , and that the shame of their Nakedness may not appear .

3. Thirdly , those presumptions are dangerous , which lead into a destructive error , which cannot be amended when discovered . If a man hopes without ground that he may get an Estate by some way , by which it is not to be got ; he may by his presumption be a loser of time , and a loser in some part of his Estate : but yet when he seeth his error he may correct it , he may redeem his time , he may recover his Estate . But to presume for a good , as to which , if our expectations fail , they fail for ever ; and of a deliverance or immunity from some evil , wherein if our expectations fail , we shall be irrecoverably immerced in that evil . This no Wise Man will do . It is true in our present case it is not so : While there is life there is hope , That man or Woman that hath hatched up presumptuous hopes that he is in favour with God , that his Sins are pardoned , and he Eternally saved , may examine the grounds of his hopes ; if he finds them insufficient , he may acquit them , and use means to obtain a good hope through Grace . But dying presumptions , they are desperate ; for saith Solomon , Eccles. 9. 10. There is no device , no work , no knowledge , nor wisdom in the grave , whither we are going . Psal. 49. 8. For the Redemption of the Soul is precious , and it ceaseth for ever . As the Soul leaves the Body , so it shall be with it as to Eternity . It was a desperate presumption of the foolish Virgins to come knocking and crying , Lord open to us , when the door was shut , Matth. 25. and for those mentioned , Matth. 7. 12. that will in the Great Day say unto him , Lord , Lord , have we not prophecyed in thy Name , and in thy Name have cast our Devil , and in thy Name done many wonderful work● ? To whom he will say , v. 13. I never kn●w you , depart from me you workers of Iniquity . Take heed of carrying on presumptuous hopes to a dying hour .

3. The Third Thing which I under this Head offered to your Consideration , was the multitude of those Souls that ( so far as we can judge ) split upon this Rock . It is a great piece of Wisdom to take warning by the harms of others . The Scripture tells us , that , Without Faith and Holiness none shall see God . Heb. 12. 14. It telleth us 21. Rev. 8. That the fearful , and the unbelieving , and the abominable , the murderers , and the whoremongers : and sorcerers , and idolaters ; and all liars , shall have their part in the Lake which burns with fire and Brimstone ; which is the second Death . It saith , 1 Cor. 6. 9. Know you not , that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God . Be not deceived , neither fornicators , nor idolators , nor adulterers , nor effeminate persons , nor abusers of themselves with mankind , nor thieves , nor covetous , nor drunkards , nor revilers , nor extortioners , shall ever enter into the Kingdom of God . We own these Scriptures to be the Word of God , we see , we hear of persons dying daily , who we know lived in these , some of these Sins , and never gave any visible Signs of Repentance and Reformation . What did they die without hope ? No they hoped to be Saved , and it may be died with Confidence they should be Saved . What was , what could be the ground of their hope , but either God made them , and they hope he will not destroy them : Or Christ dyed for all . Or though they had their failngs , yet they have done such or such good works . Or they were Members of the Church : Or they have asked God Pardon . Or they say they are sorry for their Sins , and have been absolved , and received the Sacrament , or some such things as these ? O dreadful ! Is Eternity to be adventured in this Manner ? Presumption ( Sirs ) slayeth its Ten thousands . Oh that it might not slay any Soul that heareth me this day . Let this be a Second piece of Advice , in order to the avoiding this Rock .

3. Thirdly , Possess your Souls of the Difficulty of getting to Heaven , and the small number of those that shall be Saved . I say first the Difficulty of getting into Heaven . You have it confirmed to you from him who came from Heaven , from the Bosom of his Father , on purpose to reveal his Fathers Will in the Case ; Matth. 7. 14. Strait is the Gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to Eternal Life , and few there be that find it . Oh what an easie thing do Papists make it to get to Heaven ? What an easie thing do some others make it too ? But whoever makes it easie , makes God a Lyar. Christ hath said , Strait is the Gate , and narrow is the way . If being Baptized , If Confessing Sins in the Ears of the Priest , and taking Absolution from him , if living all your Life in Sensual Satifactions , then crying , Lord Receive my Soul , when you die , and Receiving the Sacrament , will bring men to Heaven , Oh what an easie thing it is to be Saved ? But if a man must Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ , if he must deny himself , and take up the Cross and follow Christ , if he must keep under his body and bring it in subjection to his Spirit ; and also bring his Spirit in subjection to the Will of God . If he must forget what is behind ( as St. Paul did ) and press on to what is before , unto the price of the high Calling ; if he must Watch and Pray , and Strive and Fight , and give all diligence to make his Calling and Election sure , then Sirs it is no easie thing . Christ judged it no easie thing , St. Paul judged not so , and is it not ridiculous for any to think that God should send his own Son to die an accursed Death , to purchase atonement and reconciliation with God ; that he should sweat drops of Blood and powre out his Blood on the Cross , and be put to cry out , My God , My God , Why hast thou forsaken me ? and after this a Sinner living in the Church , and knowing and hearing of this , should think it so easie a thing to get into favour with God , and obtain the Application of this Blood for the pardon of Sin , and so great a mercy as Eternal Life . Brethren let none deceive you , it is either no easy thing to get to Heaven , or the Scriptures are not to be believed , nor Christ to be believed , that Christ in whom we alone hope for Salvation ; those Scriptures which we own as the Revelation of the Will of God to us concerning our Salvation , and all those holy servants of God before us , who spent their time in Fastings , Watchings , Prayers , Mortifying their Members , and in all Examples of an Holy Life , and in the constant owning and profession of the Truth unto death ; were deceived and mistaken , and lived and died as fools . Let men write and talk what they will , possess your Souls of the Difficulty of being Saved , you will find them to be at last in possession of a great and useful Truth .

2. Yea and Secondly , Possess your selves of the Truth of that which you have upon the same credit , That there are but few that shall be Saved ; Matth. 7. 14. One pronounced that Question to our Saviour , Luke 13. 23. Lord are there few that shall be saved ? He replied unto them , v. 24. Strive to enter in at the Strait Gate , for many I say unto you will seck to enter in , and shall not be able . It is a Truth that there are but few will be saved , and he who observeth what conditions of Salvation the Scripture hath made , and considereth the lives of most , will see it must be true . But our Saviour in that answer teacheth us the true use we ought to make of that Notion : Not to conclude that we shall not . For who hath ascended into Heaven , to bring us news from thence whose Names are or are not written in the Book of Life ? Or who can tell who will repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ ? 2. Not to deaden us to Duty ; and make us say then it is in vain for us to do any thing , for we shall not be saved , do we what we will ( no Scripture saith so ) but to quicken us , if we be in a state of Ignorance , Unbelief and Impenitency , to Strive to enter in , to give diligence to make our Calling and Election sure . For tho it be true , That in light matters that are of no great concernment , Difficulty discourageth indeavours , yet in things that we cannot be without and be happy , where our well being is highly concerned , Difficulties ( especially not appearing to us insuperable ) instead of deadening , quicken us to the use of utmost Indeavours . Live therefore in the daily view and apprehension of the Difficulty of getting to Heaven , and under the daily thoughts of what God hath revealed , That there are but few that shall be saved .

4. Fourthly , Be frequent in the Examination of the grounds of your hope , and in the Examination have a care that your grounds have a Scripture Foundation ; and that as to your Grounds from Holiness , you conclude rather from your affections than your actions ; and if at all from your actions , from the course of them , not from any single acts ; and lay more stress upon the Covenant of Grace , and the application of your souls unto it , than either upon your affections or actions . Here is a great deal put together in this one Direction , Let me shortly discourse the several parts of it : 1. I say first be much in Examining the grounds of your hopes . Indeed I should have first said , Be much in whetting upon your Souls the belief of your Eternal Existence : It is our want of belief of this , or attendance to the thoughts of this , which makes Men and Women so careless as to the looking after it : We had need have it rung in our Ears every Morning and Evening , Sir , Remember you are going to Eternity . If Men and Women could be brought to that pass , that like that Ancient we read of , where-ever they are , whatever they are doing , they should think they hear the Sound of the Last Trumpet and the Voice , Arise you dead and come to Judgment , they would be oftner entring into and communing with their own Hearts about the Grounds and Reason of their Hopes to live with God in a Blessed Eternity , when they shall no longer live in the World . But O we do not think of Eternity , we do not believe Eternity so fixedly and steadily as we should . God commanded under the Law by Moses , Deut. 6. 6 , 7. That the words which the Lord did command them , should be in their hearts , that they should diligently teath them to their Children , that they should talk of them when they sate in the house , and when they walked by the way , when they lay down , and when they rose up ; that they should bind them as a sign upon their hand , and they should be as frontlets betwixt their eyes , and they should be written upon their Posts and upon their Gates . What God commanded as to his Law , I would have done as to every one of our Eternal State . I would have it written upon our Hearts , that we are going to Eternity , I would have you teach it to your Children , talk of it when you sit by your Fire-sides , when you go out , when you come in , when you lie down , when you rise up . I would have , Remember Eternity , wrote upon the walls of your Parlours and of your Bed-Chambers . I would have it always before your eyes ; surely then your hearts would be often saying , To what Eternity am I going ? Am I going to Eternnal Happiness or to Eternal Torments ? To the place where I shall Weep , and grieve , and vex no more , or to the place where will be nothing else , but Weeping , and Wailing , and gnashing of Teeth , and that for evermore ? And you would not rest in every slighty return your deceitful hearts should make , flattering you with hopes of Heaven ; but you would say , My Soul do not thou deceive me , upon what grounds doest thou tell me it shall be well with me for ever ? We never think that we are sure enough of a Debt or a little Estate ; why should we trust in slighty seeming security for an Eternal Interest ? And be assured of this , no grounds of Hope are worth any thing , but such as plain Scripture justifieth : Eternal Life is the Gift of God , the Scripture tells so , and we should never have thought of Eternity but for the Revelation of it in Scripture ; it is therefore given according to Scripture Revelation and no otherwise . It is given by Christ to those that the Father hath given him , Joh. 17. 2. We cannot search the Book of God to see the Names of those the Father hath given him , but he hath told us who are given him ; John 10. 27. My Sheep hear my voice , and follow me , and I give unto them Eternal Life , and they shall never perish . Thou hast no ground to hope for Eternal Life , but from thy bearing ( hearing and obeying ) the voice of Christ , and thy following of him ; but so many are our failings , such are our short and imperfect walkings , that here a good Christian may have his doubts and fears , whether he heareth Christs voice and so followeth him , that he may cherish hopes in himself , that he is one to whom Christ will give Eternal Life : To guide you therefore , I say ,

1. Do not take up your hopes from single Actions , but from a continued Course of Actions . The Philosopher tells us , That single Acts will never denominate a Man Vertuous , nor yet Vicious : He is not a Drunkard , that is once overtaken with drink , but he that makes a trade of it ; he is not a just Man that now and then doth a just Action , but he that in his whole Course giveth to every one his due ; nor is he an holy Man , that sometimes doth good Actions , Hears , Prayeth ; but that Man that hath Regard to all Gods Commandements , and that at all times , in all Places , Companies , &c. There is none so good but doth some things ill ( who liveth and sinneth not ? ) Nor are there many to be found so bad , but do somthings good : Herod heard John the Baptist gladly , and he did many things , Mark 6. 20. That is the holy Man , that in the whole Course of his Life , applyeth himself to the Pleasing of God , enquiring what the good Will of God is , and setting himself to do it , and not turning aside there-from , though by some Passions , Corruptions , Temptations , &c. he may sometimes be turned out of his way .

2. Secondly , Lay more stress upon your Affections than upon your Actions , indeed they must Justifie and Legitimate your Actions . Ends and Affections make up the form of Holiness , and distinguish it from the good Works of the Heathens ; which Augustine rightly called Gay and Splendid Sinnings . The Law is , Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart : Let a Man do what he will , if it be not out of love to God , out of a desire to please him , and a fear to offend him , it is no holiness , it is but Ostentation , or Self-seeking , or meer Moral Vertue . Let a Man fail in his Action , whether through Infirmity , or Temptation , yet if his desire hath been towards God , if his Hearts Affections have been right , he is accepted of God ; do not therefore in your Examination of this ground of your Hope , so much trust to what you find you have done for God and in Obedience to his Will , as from what Principle it hath been done , to what end , with what Affection , &c. Say to your Souls , I have been an Hearer of Sermons , one that has used to Read , to Pray ; but what hath been my Principle in it ? Hath it been the fear of God ? The love of God ? Obeying the Will of God ? Hath my end in it been the glorifying of God ? This will ●●y your Hopes from your Holiness , whether they be well grounded or no.

3. I added Thirdly , When you have done all , you will see reason to lay more stress upon the Covenant of Redemption and Grace , than either upon your Aff●●tions , or Actions ; yet not seperated from the one , or the other , but in conjunction with them . I will put the Case , that you , or I , were in secret examining our selves , What hope we have that God had Pardoned our Sins , and that when we die we should go to Heaven ? We reflect upon our lives , suppose the better part of our lives , and we find that although in many things we have failed , yet in the general course of our Actions , we have endeavoured to do in all Circumstances what God hath commanded us ; well but yet our Hearts tells us , nay the Scriptures tells us , that if what we have done , hath not been done out of love to God , out of a desire to obey him , it is all nothing . It may be we have asked our hearts this question , and they reply to us , that it hath been the command of God , and a will and a desire to please God , that hath carrie dus out generally to our Actions ; but yet we shall find so much mixture of self-seeking , so much want of Affection at sometimes ; that when we have done all , if it were not for a Covenant of Grace and Redemption , we were undone . I can never enough mind you of the last words of David , 2 Sam. 23. 4 , 5. v. 3. he tells you what God had said to him , The God of Israel said , the Rock of Israel spake unto me : He that Ruleth over Men must be just , Ruling in the Fear of God , as the light of the Morning when the Sun riseth , a Morning without Clouds , as the tender Grass , springing out of the Earth by clear shining after Rain : So far he considereth now his Rule , now he reflects on himself , and findeth that he had come short of this , he had not been just in the matters of Uriah and Bathsheba , nor in many other things ; Where is then this good Mans hope ? mark v. 5. Although my House be not so with God , yet he hath made me an everlasting Covenant , ordered in all things , and sure ; for this is all my Salvation , and all my desire , although he maketh it not to grow . The God of Heaven hath said to every one of us , the Rock of our Salvation , He that believeth , is not condemned ; he hath said , My Sheep hear my Voice , and follow me , and I give them Eternal Life . But I have been full of unbelief , I have been deaf to many a voice of Christ , in many things I have sinned , and come short of the Glory of God : I have troden many a step a-wry , I hope my general aim hath been right ; but I have halted and trodon short , and come infinitely short of my Rule ; My Heart , my ways have not bin so with God . Where 's a good Christians hope then ? but in this , The Lord hath made with the Son of his love an Everlasting Covenant , well ordered and sure in all things ; a Covenant that in consideration of the Satisfaction which he hath paid to his Fathers Justice , the price which he hath paid , his Righteousness shall be reckoned for Righteousness to every Soul , that upon the offer of the Gospel shall receive him , close with him , accept him , and in sincerity of Heart shall give up himself to the Obedience of his Will ; for this is every good Mans Salvation : and when we have done all here , the stress of our Hopes must lie . Yet here is no ground for Hope without Action , true Affections towards God , conjoined with sincere Actions . The Covenant of Grace will not relieve one ill principled and loose walking Christian , tho it be the onely relief for a Sincere Christian , that is sensible of his imperfect walking with God .

5. Fifthly , If you would take heed of Presumption , you must take heed of wilful sinning against Light ; doing any thing which your Conscience telleth you , you ought not to do . The Nature of Man is biassed to prophesie and promise good to himself ; none but an Atheistical , Sleepy , Secure Soul , that never thinks of Heaven or Hell , or what shall become of him after this Life , but maintaineth some secret hopes in one degree or another , that he is in the Favour of God , that his sins are Pardoned , and that he shall be Eternally Saved . Now these hopes in the heart of a wilful sinner , that goeth on in a course of known Sin , can be but Presumptions ; and therefore every Soul that thus liveth and walketh , must either be a Presumptuous Person , or one that despaireth ; for he must either have some Hope , or no Hope : if he hath no Hope at all , it is either because he is under Despair , or because he is an Athist , and never mindeth and regardeth any thing but what he should Eat or Drink and Put on , and how his Posterity shall live when he is dead : If he hath any Hope , it can be no other then a Presumptuous Hope ; for he hath not one line in Scripture to justify it . There is no peace to the Wicked ( saith God ) so that without cleansing our ways , and taking heed thereto , according to the Word of God , there is no avoiding the guilt of Atheism , Despair , or Presumption ; and this is a very dreadful Meditation , but such as nothing can be truer . We see there are but few , very few that despair ; so that as Solomon saith , Prosperity slayeth the Fool : so it is either Atheism and a Carelesness , as to any consideration of another life , or else Presumption , that slayeth the most of those poor Souls which go down into the Pit .

6. Sixthly , Be much in Prayer to God to guide you in the examining of your state , and to keep you from taking up with vain Confidences ; take the Example of the Man according to Gods own Heart , Psal. 129. 23. Search me O God , and know mine Heart , try me , and know my Thoughts , and see if there be any wicked way in me , and lead me in the way everlasting . Beg of God to give you that good hope , through grace , which he mentioneth , to beget you to a lively hope , and not to suffer you to please your selves with a Presumptuous Hope ; that as to your hopes for Eternity , it may not be to you as the Prophet speaketh , Isaiah 29. 8. As when an hungry Man dreameth , and behold he eateth ; but he awakes and his Soul is empty ; and behold he drinketh , but he awaketh and behold he is faint , and his Soul hath Appetite .

7. Finally , Be in the Fear of the Lord all the day long ; the wise Man saith , Blessed is he that feareth always ; Prov. 28. 14. and we are you know , commanded to work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling ; Phil. 2. 12. It is true , there is a state of Love , that casteth out Fear ; perfect Love casts our Fear ( saith the Apostle ) and Paul tells us Rom. 8. We have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear ; but a fear least we should offend God , a fear least we should deceive our own Souls , is an excellent guard and protection to a Soul : if it riseth indeed to cause a distrust in God , or a despair of his Goodness , then it is putrified , then it dishonoureth God ; and such a fear ought not to be endured in a believers Soul : but there is a Cautious , Wary , Ingenious , Well-regulated Fear , that well becometh even the best Souls , while they are in their state of Corruption and Mortality , and where they are daily incompassed with Temptations .

FINIS .