The Letter which the Author sent with this Discourse to his Wife M. W. upon her recovery from a dangerous sicknesse. (continued 2)

This searching and examining of our ways in Gods presence is (as it were) a casting up of our accounts between God and our souls, wherein we truly verifie that true saying, That often reckoning makes God and our souls true friends.

This dutie is hard, and therefore we must often crie to God with David, Psal. 139. Search me O God, and try my heart, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Affliction the season of Examination.

This holy practice ought to be frequent, but then especially when the hand, and Rods of the Lord are upon us: For then (as Job saith) God softeneth our Hearts, and we are most like then to be as the ground, mollified upon a Thaw, fit to be broken up, or like the ground moistened with storms, and showers from Heaven, then in some hopefull turn for the Lords most gracious seed, and heavenly planting.

2dly.

Christ Jesus his appointments undoubted means of Christian health and chearfulness.

Secondly, maintain an earnest longing, and endeavour to enjoy Christ Jesus, who is our souls life in every holy Ordinance, which he hath appointed. If it be possible (with true satisfaction to our consciences, and doubts in Gods presence) let us never rest from being planted into the holy society of Gods children, gathered into the order of Christ Jesus, according to his most holy will and Testament: Remembering that Christian health, grouth, and flourishing, are promised to the Trees planted in Jehovahs house: And that the holy Ordinances are the Lords provisions, and soul meals, and Breasts which he hath graciously appointed for his children, of all sorts, and ages.

Prayer with fasting a most Christian and mighty ordinance.

Especially be much in holy prayer, and fasting before the Lord: this is an Ordinance of which neither Pope nor Devill could ever deprive a child of God: If it be possible practice this duty with others, however before the Lord in secret: remembring how frequent the children of God in holy scripture were in this duty. Daniel is an heavenly pattern: and so is David, who wept and chastised his soul with fasting although he was reproached for it, Psal. 69.

Our holy Bridegroom the Lord Jesus, tels us that the Bridegroom shall be taken away, and then his servants fast: as if he had expressly named the times of the Antichristian bondage, wherein the followers of Jesus, like the blessed Women, (John the 20.) weeping, cry out, they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

This holy Ordinance is of such admirable use among the Saints, that even in the first, and purest times of Christianity, we read of Christian yoak fellows, consenting to a separation from each other, for a time that they may give themselves to prayer, and fasting, 1. Cor: 7.

Obj. But some say fasting as it seems to be more proper to the Old Testament, so seems it not so usefull in the New Covenant, when more spirituall worship, and spirituall joys seem more suitable, and seasonable.

The excellent use of prayer and fasting.

I answer, all the former Scriptures declare it to be an Ordinance of the New Testament, as well as a prayer itself: And for the use of it, it is most admirable for the separating, and abstracting of the mind, and spirit, from earthly occasions, and comforts, for the devoting of the soul to heavenly consideration, and examination of our wayes, for the pouring forth of prayers, and cries to God in the many great, and mighty straights which Gods people passe through in this vale of tears, and Lamentation. And indeed it is (as I may say) the taking of a soul sweat, or soul purge for the avoiding and cleansing out our spirituall Humours, and corruptions.

3dly.

Spirituall taking of cold.

Thirdly, as ever we would preserve our spirituall health, let us carefully take heed of spirituall colds and obstructions: For as it is in the naturall man, a cold it self is a great distemper, and the ground and beginning of others, when the warm streams of blood, and spirits are stopt up, and obstructed: So is it, (and much more in the spirituall) when our heavenly spirits are stopt by damp colds, and obstructions of unnecessary frequenting of cold societies, and places destitute of the life of the Sun of Righteousnes Christ Jesus.

The Lord Jesus is a Christians Garment: O let us keep that blessed garment always close about us, and in all places, and in all companies, and upon all occasions expresse the life, and power of Christ Jesus, longing to know, and to follow his blessed words, and examples in life, and death.

4thly.

Gods people must watch against the surfeiting upon worldly comforts.

Fourthly, take heed of spirituall surfets, that the feeding too much upon the comforts of yoak fellows, children, credit, profit, (though sweet, and wholsome as hony) turn not to bitternes, and loathing.

Gods children as travailers on the Land, as Passengers in a ship, must use this world, and all comforts of it, with dead, and weaned, and mortified affections, as if they used them not: If Riches, if Children, if Cattel, if Friends, if whatsoever increase, let us watch that the Heart fly not loose upon them: But as we use salt with raw and fresh meats, let us use no worldly comfort without a savoury Remembrance, that these worldly Goods and comforts are the common portion of the men of this perishing world, who must perish together with them. Let us muse upon their insufficiency to content, and fill our Hearts, upon their uncertain coming, and going with Eagles wings: upon their anxiety, and perplexednes full of Thorns, & vexations: upon their certainty of departing, how soon we know not. O let us therefor beg grace from Heaven, that we may use earthly comforts as a stool or ladder to help us upward to heavenly comforts, profits, pleasures, which are only true, and lasting, even eternall in God himself, when these Heavens, and earth are gone.

5.

The power of meditating the joyes that are to come.

Fifthly, to maintain a spirituall health and chearfulness is of no small use (as Paul writes to Timothie) sometimes to help our cold stomacks with a little wine or strong drink of the hope of the joyes to come: Lay hold (saith Paul to Timothie) of eternall life: and as the Souldier meditates upon the glory of his victories: The sick passenger at Sea upon his sweet refreshings on shore: the Traveller upon his journeys end and comforts at his home: the Labourer and the Hireling on his wages, the Husbandman on his harvest: the Merchant on his gain: the woman in travail, on her fruit: so let us sometimes warm and revive our cold hearts and fainting spirits, with the assured hope of those victories, those crowns, those harvests, those refreshings and fruits, which never eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor never entred into mans heart the things which God hath prepared for them that love him: Of which however it pleaseth God to give his servants a taste in this life, yet the harvest, and the vintage are to come, when they that suffer with Christ Jesus shall reign with him, and they that have sown in tears shall reap the never ending harvest of inconceivable joyes.

6thly.

Bitter and untoothsome things may yet be of a blessed and wholsome use to Gods people.

Sixthly, as it is in the restoring of the body to health, or in the preserving of it in an healthfull condition: it is often necessarie to use the help of sharp and bitter things, bitter pils, bitter potions, bitter medicines, sweatings, purgings, vomitings, blood-lettings, &c. So is it with our souls, and spirits, and preservation of the health and chearfulness of the spirituall and the inner man.

Two sorts of bitter afflictions.

The sharp and bitter things which it pleaseth God to make use of in these cases are of two sorts.

First, such as himself is pleased to use towards us in the way of his fatherly afflictions of all sorts: on our spirits, our bodies, our yoak-fellows, children, servants, cattel, goods, &c. out of which, yea also out of the injurious, and slanderous, and persecuting dealing of others, yea and out of our own sins and failings his most holy and infinite wisdom, fetcheth all sorts of cleansing and purging, yea and sometimes a cordiall and healing physick.

The second sort of sharp and bitter means are such, as we voluntarily use and apply our selves unto our selves, for the slaying and the purging out of the filthy humours and corruptions of pride, securitie, uncleanness, self-love, covetousness, and what ever else remains behinde of the body of death in us.

The Scripture the true storehouse of soul physick.

It is true that the word of God, and all his holy Ordinances, they are not only of a feeding, and nourishing, but also of a purging, and cleansing Nature, of a preserving, and a restoring Quality: and therefore out of these, we must take direction for all our spirituall Remedies, against those foul distempers, unto which our spirituall, and inner men are subject.

1.

The remembrance of our sins bitter, yet an wholsome pill.

First, then it is an wholsome though bitter pill, often to call to mind our many, our great, our known, our unknown transgressions against; the Lord as a Creatour, against the Lord as a Father, against the Lord as a Redeemer, against Christ Jesus, against his holy Spirit, against his Ordinances, against his Saints, against our selves, &c. Yea the sins and severall corruptions of our Natures, callings, and conditions, to which we yet are subject, and lye open, and without supply of Grace, and strength from Heaven, we shall fall, and tumble into, as well as the strongest of Gods servants, of whose wofull falls we read of in holy Scripture.

Obj. It is a part of the Lords New Covenant, that he will forgive our sins, and remember our iniquities no more.

Gods children bound to beg for pardon of sin.

I answer, unto all the promises of all sorts, (Ezek. 36.) it pleaseth the Lord to adde this Gospel Proviso; For all this I will be sought unto saith the Lord, according to that most holy direction, of the Lord Jesus, to pray daily, not only for daily Bread, but also for daily forgivenes.

Obj. The Lord hath forgiven them already in Christ, what need to pray for forgivenesse of them again.

I answer, We must marke the Lords Ordinance, for all this I will be sought unto: Prayer and other spirituall Ordinances hath the Lord appointed for our souls good, as well as corporall meanes for our bodily comfort.

Godly sorrow not inconsistent but subservient to spirituall joy.

Hence the many examples of the servants of God throughout the whole Scripture, both before Jesus Christ and since, David, Peter, Mary Magdalen, breaking forth into heavenly showres of godly teares. Hence the Paschall Lambe, (the figure of Christ Jesus) was appointed by the Lord to be eaten with bitter herbs, implying and teaching that Jesus Christ himselfe, his blood, pardon of sin, Life and Salvation, and all the spirituall and eternall sweets that here below we finde in Christ Jesus, they have not their native and proper rellish without the helpe of such sharp and bitter hearbs.

Gods councels absolve not us from menes & endeavours.

What though therefore in Gods councel before the world was, all his works of creation and redemption, vocation, justification, glorification are knowne to him and acted by him? I say, in the most inconceivable deep councels of his will, according to which he worketh all things, Ephes. 1. 11? yet were it presumptuous madnesse in us, and a tempting of the jealous eyes of the most High, to neglect the wayes, and meanes, and paths of mercy for Soul or Body, which his most holy Wisedome out of infinite Grace and goodnesse hath appointed to us?

The due consideration of Gods justice is an heavenly though bitter pill.

A second sharp and bitter pill to purge out spirituall corruption, is a due and serious pondering of the nature, of the justice of the most High; notwithstanding all the infinite sweetnesse of the Ocean of his mercy, and notwithstanding all the colours and pretences which we poor sinners invent to our selves, to hide from our eyes, the greatnesse and dreadfulnesse and terrours of it.

Well therefore might Job say: therefore am I troubled at his presence, and when I consider I am afraid of him; and David, Psal. 119. My Flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgements.

Object. But John saith, perfect love casteth out fear.

I answer, The true love of God, never casteth out the true feare of God, but only that which is false and counterfeit, that which is the fear of a Beast of slaves and Devils.

Hence it is that the Spirit of the fear of the Lord was poured upon the Lord Jesus himself.

This feare is an holy awe or reverence proper to a true and heavenly ingenuous child of God, even (first and chiefly) to Christ Jesus, the elder Brother (in a sence) of all the children of God. To cherish which holy fear of God, let us cast our eyes upon the fiery flashes of his severe justice revealed unto us in a three-fold time, the time past, present, and to come.

The dreadfull rejection of the Angels

For the time past, how dreadfull is that we finde of the rejection and ejection of so many glorious heavenly Spirits the Angels, tumbled down for their sin of Pride, from the heighth of Heaven, and their glorious attendance upon God, to the depth of Hell in horrible slavery to everlasting sinnes and torments.

The dreadfull sentence upon all mankind.

How dreadfull was that dolefull Sentence upon the whole race of mankinde, for the Sin of the first root, our first Parents in Paradice? How wonderfull those Plagues and Destructions upon Pharaoh and the land of Ægypt, for their oppressing Gods people.

The destruction of Egypt and Sodom, & the whole world.

And (before that) how fearfull and horrible was that destruction and burning up of Sodom, and Gomorrah and other Cities with fire and brimstone from Heaven?

And (before both these) how wonderfully fearefull and universall was, the destruction of the whole world, in that choaking, and All-o'erwhelming flood or deluge.

Fearfull stroaks of Gods justice upon Israel.

How fearfull were the stroaks of Gods displeasure upon his owne people of Israel, in their many Destructions and Captivities? How fearfull the rejection of the ten Tribes wholly swallowed up and lost for so many ages and generations?

Upon the Jews and Jerusalem.

How lamentable were the destructions (and especiall that by Titus and Vespasion) of the holy City, that glorious Jerusalem, in the slaughter and captivity of 1100000 thousand Jewes, men, women and children?

How fearfull was the rejection of that whole Nation of the Jewes, ever since but a curse and a scorne to all the rest of the Nations of the world to this day?

Upon the Son of his love the Lord Jesus.

And (above all) who can but tremble at the impartiall flames of Gods justice on that green and innocent tree, his owne, and only begotten son Christ Jesus, when he stood surety in the room of sinners to make satisfaction for their transgressions?

Object. Grant Gods justice and fierce wrath to be so hot, so fiery and fearfull towards his enemies, yet, what need his children fear his justice, since that it is satisfied and his wrath appeased towards his people, by the sufferings and blood-shed of Christ Jesus.

The heavy & dolefull stroaks of Gods righteous hand upon his own people in this world.

I answer, It is so evident, that although Christ Jesus his blood, hath quenched the fire of Gods eternal wrath toward his people, and sweetened the bitter Cup of all present Judgements and afflictions: yet for his Name and Justice sake in this world, Gods children have temporally felt the fearfull stroks of his displeasure, and judgment must begin at the house of God.

Hence that dreadfull blow of Gods righteous hand upon our first Parents Adam and Eve, cast out of Paradice with their posterity (even the whole race of mankind) notwithstanding their belief in the promised seed of Christ Jesus.

Hence the heavy stroakes upon Lot, upon Lots wife, upon Moses, upon Aaron, upon Sampson, upon Eli, upon David, upon Hezekiah, upon Josiah, &c.

Object. But some may say, God sees no sin in Jacob, &c.

Gods holy end in his sore afflictions upon his people.

I answer, Their calamities are Judgements, that is righteous sentences of the most high, Judgements, though not eternall Judgements: these vindicate Gods name and Justice before an unrighteous world, and beare him witnesse of his impartiality, even towards his owne children; these humble and bring his people to repentance and confession, and quicken their pace, and their hearts, to watch against future sins and provocations.

Hence saith the Spirit of God expresly, 1. Cor. 11. For this cause (that is for his childrens abuse of the Lords Supper) many are weak and sick, and some are falne asleep; God chastiseth his own people, true christian Churches, for the abuse of his holy Ordinances and appointments.

Gods justice visibly seen in the present sorrows of all sorts.

In the second place, let us cast our eyes abroad and behold the direfull signs and tokens, of Gods severe Justice executed at this present in the world. How lamentably doe we see before our eyes the daily and continued effects of that first wrath upon mankind, in so many sorrows of all sorts for the first transgression.

Let us consider of the great constant reproach and misery over all the Nations of the World, by reason of Gods righteous Sentence in the division of so many Tongues and Languages.

The horrible desolations of late years.

O come and see (saith David) what Desolations (Psal. 46.) the Lord hath wrought in the Earth? How many hundred thousands of men, women and children have of late years been swept away in the world, by wars, famines and pestilences?

And since we are commanded to weep with them that weep; O that our heads were fountains, and our eyes rivers of waters, that wee might weep with Germany, weep with Ireland, yea, weep day and night with England and Scotland (to speake nothing of other remote Nations) in laying againe and again to heart the stroakes of Gods most righteous judgements, in their most fearfull slaughters and desolations.

The wonderfull spirituall judgements upon the Nations.

The direfull judgement upon the Jewes.

The effects and marks of these most dreadfull blowes, every eye is forced to see but yet there are some stroakes, more fearfull and yet not easily perceived; such are the righteous judgements of God, giving up the Nations of the world to so many horrible and blasphemous worships, idolatries and superstitions. To speak nothing of whole Nations and Kingdomes, that know not at all the true and living God, how cold and hard is that stone that lyes upon the mouth of that wonderfull grave of unbeliefe, wherein the Nation of (Gods choice and love) the Jewes lye buried and o'rewhelmed to this day?

The direfull judgement of Mahumatanism, and Antichristianisme.

Who can but wonder and tremble at so many hundreth thousand and millions of men given up for so long a time (in so many and so mighty flourishing Nations of the world) I say, given up to those two monstrously bewitching Worships of Mahumatisme and Antichristianisme, the dire effects of Gods most righteous judgements upon the Easterne and Westterne professors of the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus?

The lamentable captivity of Gods own people to Antichristian worships.

Adde to these that most fearfull and deplorable captivity of the very soules and consciences of Gods owne people (for so many hundred years) under false and superstitious Worships. A righteous judgement, though not so easily discerned, yet in it selfe most dreadfull, and exceeding all the temporall calamities in the world.

The dreadfull and eternall judgement yet to come.

But (thirdly) from these two times of past and present, let us cast our eyes on the third which is yet to come, as sure and wonderfull, will shortly be these two most wonderfull and dreadfull downfals of those two so mighty Monarchies (so great enemies to Christ Jesus) the Turkish and the Popish: according to the Prediction of the holy Prophets. How fearfull the effusion of the Viols, in part fulfilled, and yet to be powred forth in their season? And not a little wonderfull is that mighty destruction of the Nations Gog and Magog gathered as the sand of the Sea against the camp of the saints of the holy City.

And (to come to the full period and finall sentence of the most righteous Judge of the whole world) with what horrours and terrours shall these Heavens and Earth passe away; this Earth with the works thereof being consumed and burnt up? How inconceivably direfull will the last eternall judgement be, when two worlds of men (the former destroyed by water, and this by fire) shall appeare, before the most glorious Tribunall of the Son of God? When all the most secret sins shall be brought to tryal, and an account shall be given for every idle word?

O who who can conceive the terrours of that thundering sentence [Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devill and his Angels, where the worm never dyes, and the fire never goes out.]

Object. But some may say, Can these sayings be any other then a Parable or similitude? for is the Devill capable of any materiall fire? such as now is grievous and painfull to flesh and blood?

The Parables of holy Scripture are ful of heavenly kernels of Truth.

I answer, Grant these sayings Parabolicall or similitudes, as also that of Dives and Lazarus: yet what are Parables and similitudes but Glasses to represent unto us in more plain and easie wayes the holy truth and mind of God?

The worme that never dyes, and the fire that never goes out.

The Kernell of truth is not the lesse sweet though wrapt up in the shels and husks; Beyond all question therefore Christ Jesus foretels most sure and inconceiveable plagues to all that know not God, and obey not his glorious Gospel: And by this Worme that never dyes, and this fire that never goes out, declares a torment to be inflicted upon both men and devils which shall be extream like fire which shall be universall upon the whole sinfull creature, no part exempted, which shall be also eternall, never dying, never ending, yet we may adore Gods righteous judgements and (working out Salvation with fear and trembling) make sure of a Jesus a Saviour to deliver us from the wrath that is to come.

The meditation of death.

In the next place (my deare Love) let us downe together by the steps of holy meditation into the valley of the shadow of Death. It is of excellent use to walke often into Golgotha, and to view the rotten skuls of so many innumerable thousands of millions of millions of men and women, like our selves, gone, gone forever from this life and being (as if they never had life nor being) as the swift Ships, as the Weavers shuttle, as an arrow, as the lightning through the aire, &c.

It is not unprofitable to remember the faces of such whom we knew, with whom we had sweet acquaintance, sweet society, with whom we have familiarly eaten and lodged, but now growne loathsome, ugly, terrible, even to their dearest, since they fell into the jawes of death, the King of terrors.

And yet they are but gone before us, in the path all flesh must tread: How then should we make sure, and infinitely much of a Saviour, who delivers us from the power, and bitternesse of Death, and Grave, and Hell, who is a resurrection and life unto us, and will raise up and make our bodies glorious, like his glorious Body, when he shall shortly appear in glory.

It is further of great and sweet use against the bitternesse of Death, and against the bitter-sweet delusions of this world daily to thinke each day our last, the day of our last farewell, the day of the splitting of this vessell, the breaking of this buble, the quenching of this Candle, and of our passage into the land of Darknesse, never more to behold a sparke of light untill the Heavens be no more.

3 Terrible uncertainties.

Meditations of death powerfull as to many heavenly purposes.

Those three uncertainties of that most certain blow, to wit, of the Time when, the Place where, the Manner how it shall come upon us, and dash our Earthern Pitcher all to pieces, I say the consideration of these three, should be a threefold cord to bind us fast to an holy watchfulness for our departures, and a spur to quicken us to aboundant faithfulnesse in doing and suffering for the Lord and his Christ, it should draw up our minds unto heavenly objects, and loosen us from the vexing vanities of this vaine puffe of this present sinfull life.

Oh how weaned, how sober, how temperate, how mortified should our spirits, our affections, our desires be, when we remember that we are but strangers, converse with strange companies, dwel in strange houses, lodge in strange beds and know not whether this day, this night shall be our finall change of this strange place for one far stranger, darke and dolefull, except enlightened by the Death and Life of the Son of God.

How contented should we be with any Pittance, any Allowance of Bread, of Cloaths, of Friendship, of Respect, &c.?

How thankfull unto God, unto man should we poor strangers be for the least crum, or drop, or rag, vouchsaf'd unto us, when we remember we are but strangers in an In, but passengers in a Ship, and though we dreame of long Summer dayes, yet our very life and being is but a swift short passage from the bank of time to the other side or Banck of a dolefull eternity?

How patient should our minds and bodies be under the crossing, disappointing hand of our all-powerfull Maker, of our most gracious Father, when we remember that this is the short span of our purging and fitting for an eternall Glory, and that when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world?

How quietly (without the swellings of revenge and wrath) should we bear the daily injuries, reproaches, persecutings, &c. from the hands of men, who passe away and wither (it may be before night) like grasse, or as the smoake on the chimnies top, and their love and hatred shall quickly perish?

Yea, how busie, how diligent, how solicitous should we be (like strangers upon a strange Coast) waiting for a winde or passage) to get dispatched what we have to doe before wee hear that finall call, Away, Away, let us be gone from hence, &c.

How should we ply to get aboard that which will passe, and turne to blessed account in our own countrey?

How should we over-look and despise this worlds trash which (as the holy woman going to be burnt for Christ said of money) will not passe in Heaven?

How zealous for the true God, the true Christ, his praise, his truth, his worship, how faithfull in an humble witnesse against the lyes and cozening delusions of the Father of lyes, though guilded o're with truth, and that by the hands of the highest or holyest upon the Earth?

How frequent, how constant (like Christ Jesus our Founder and Example) in doing good (especially to the Souls) of all men, especially to the Household of Faith, yea even to our enemies, when we remember that this is our seed time, of which every minute is precious, and that as our sowing is, must be our eternall Harvest: for so sayeth the Spirit by Paul to the Galathians: He that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption or rottennesse, and he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

FINIS.

FOOTNOTES: