The Abuse of God's Grace by Nicholas Clagett (1610-1663)

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The Abuse of God’s Grace

The abuse of Gods grace: discovered in the kinds, causes, punishments, symptoms, cures, differences, cautions, and other practical improvements thereof. Proposed as a seasonable check to the wanton libertinisme of the present age. By Nicholas Clagett (1610-1663), minister of the Gospel at Edmundsbury in Suffolk, M.A. of Magdalen Hall, Oxon.

Clagett, Nicholas, 1610?-1662., Wilkinson, Henry, 1616-1690.

THE ABUSE OF GODS GRACE: DISCOVERED In the Kinds, Causes, Punishments, Symptoms, Cures, Differences, Cautions, and other Practical Improvements thereof.

Proposed as a seasonable check to the wanton Libertinisme of the present Age.

By NICHOLAS CLAGET, Minister of the Gospel at Edmundsbury in Suffolk, M. A. of Magdalen Hall, Oxon.

• •st. Mart.

Malorum morum licentia Pietas erit, occasio Luxuriae Religio deputabitur,
Tertul. Apol. adversus Gentes, c. 35.

Shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound? God forbid,
Rom. 6. 1, 2.

OXFORD, Printed by A. Lichfield, for Thomas Robinson, and Samuel Pocock. 1659.

To his honoured Cosen, WILLIAM CLAGET, Esq. And his dear Consort, the Lady SOUTHCOATE.

Dear Cosen,

YOur Friendship to me which was of old, and yet is not gray hair’d, but flourishing, knows no Winter, but a constant Spring. In both your Universitie & Citie life, the Rayes of your favour have shoone on me. It is above twenty years since we were Contemporaries at Oxford, under our Reverend, Pious, Sound, and Learned Tutor, Dr. Edw. Corbet, who was a real Saint on earth, and is now a glorious Saint in heaven. The mercy of our Tuition, is not to be forgotten of us, nor can I forget your kindness to me, which hath not been Aeffaeta gignendo, barren by Production, like pregnant Animals, and vegetative Trees. I am your Debtor, besides the due Debt of my Prayers for you, I here present to you this , a Thank-offering, that it may from your Christian candor find acceptance, and a sweet savour.

 

We live in an unhappy Age, wherein by many the Form, by most the Power of Godlyness is neglected. Though tis a Mercy, Religion is in some Forme and Fashion, yet ’tis a misery, the Fashion is so Multiform, & in every different dress so Obnoxious, & that Words and Works, are too common Antipodes. Wronging Gods Grace is Englands Epidemical sin. None of the quarrelling sides among us can plead Innocence. Though the spots of Gods children, and the Devils are not the same; yet to our shame be it spoken, all sides have too much darkened the glory of their profession, obscured the lustre of the Gospel Sun, and laid the Honour of Gods name in the dust. Seeing our streets are so foul, I would mind every one to sweep their own doors, that the times of Liberty may no longer be reproached, as they are, with a dirty, wanton, unjust Licentiousnesse, in Opinions, and Practises. The sad experience that the old man is in my self too much a Libertine, and what I have seen and heard of others, put me upon large Meditations, sundry years ago in my Lordsday Sermons to mine own Auditory, concerning the Pest of the Times, Spreading*Disease, Bane of Profession, Disgrace of Religion, Remora of Conversions, Affliction of best hearts, Occasion of Blasphemy, Temptation to Atheisme, Merriment of Rome, which consists in the Abuse of Grace. Could I upon Englands tallest Mountain speak with the loudest noise of Thunder, and articulate my mind to every ear, I would say the Abuse of Grace is Englands sinne; Repent of it, O England, repent, repent. These were the words of that faithful Martyr, Mr. Bradford, when he was burning in the flames. Though it is not possible I should be so loud, vocal, and monitory, yet incouraged  by some pious and judicious friends, I am imboldned to take the benefit of the Presse, and to communicate thoughts in season, to as many hands, eyes, and hearts, as Providence shall guide them to. I beseech you (Sir) the happinesse of whose Consanguinity and Amity, I have experienced, peruse and improve what you shall read, to an holy conviction, serious bewailing, and deep abhorrence of an odious sin which hath too black a guilt, and is loaded with many aggravating circumstances. This will be a choice divine Blessing on the Tractate, the Authors Reward, and a Testimony of the Grace of God in you. The Gospel, the precious Gospel, that hath cost the Blood of Christ, and Christians, the sweet word of Grace, the power of God unto Salvation, let it be precious in your holy esteem: And though Papists * by their Derogatory Antichristian Traditions, Worldly Polititians, and Hellish Libertines, doe in Hieromes tearms make of the Gospel of Christ the Gospel of men, or which is worse, the Gospel of the Devil. Do you speak it and live it, the Gospel of God and Grace. The things I would offer to mine own soul, I tender to you. Be inquisitive what may deservedly bear the brand of Gospel Wantonnesse, when it appears, and interpret it as the Messenger of Hell, the Artifice of the Devil turned Angel of Light, the not more subtile than pernicious Engine to ruin souls. Be one of Zions Mourners in your Closet Retirements, to look over this worst of sins, the predominant wrong of Grace, with a mourning spirit. Endeavour to live a severe, exact, spiritual, heavenly frame of heart, that when you are to give up your Death-bed account, the Spirit of Truth, Peace, Puritie and Comfort, may witness  with yours, that the Gospel hath transformed you into the Image of it’s Glory, and hath taught you to deny that ungodlyness, and those wordly Lusts, which shrowd themselves under the protection of Grace.

And, Noble Madam, as the Tye of Marriage, and the Union (I hope) of Grace, hath made you and my dear Cosen one, so have I made you one in my Epistolary address. If the divine principle of the love of God and his Gospel be implanted in you, it cannot but urge you to the detestation of, and lamentation for the prodigious sin of Gospel Wantonness: whilst some Femal vvantons study their senses and faces, not their souls, who beautifie their out-sides, whilst their insides are altogether dis-regarded; be pleased among other spiritual Looking-glasses, which religious Artists, and faithfull Writers have with elaborate thoughts composed, to honour this, so far as often to look on it, to dress your better part by it, that when it shall reflect and reverberate your gracious beauty, you may praise the infinite Beauty and Fountain of Holiness, you may be Great and Good too; and this is a most rare, and happy combination. A few there are in the words of an Ancient, that are eminent in both * worlds, and but a few; Not many Noble. 1 Cor. 1. 26. are called to eternal Honours. Goodness enamels Greatness, and shines like a precious Stone in a Ring. I like not, but altogether abhorre that morose Stoicisme and Quakerisme that frowns on the Titles of worldly precedencies, as unbecoming Christians eares & tongues. Due Titles are no crimes of Language, nor unconsistent with Piety; yet I hope you have learned the vast distance between the stile of Madam, and  Christian, and that in the divine Heraldry, the heavenly Descent of Grace will out-shine all the Escutchions, and the glorious aiery appellations of worldly precedencies. The childless, holy Eunuch, was by the Gospel Prophet comforted, that he should have a Name better than of Sons and Daughters. The new Name, either Beleever, or Child of God, out-titles, and out-glories the highest worldly stile. Fulgentius gave good counsel to Galle, a noble Christian, of a Godly, as wel as Gentile Extraction, born of the Spirit as wel as Kin to Roman Consuls; Learn to ascribe nothing to your Noble*stem. Although you have secular, illustrious glory, yet especially with a perfect humble heart be ambitious of the Spirits Nobilitie. If, Madam, the anointing of the Spirit teach you this lesson, that all flesh is grasse, and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower of the field, the glory, the ornament, the glittering shine of it will disappear in pale, gastly death, and the chambers of silence and rottenness: I hope it teacheth you this also, that Regeneration is the birth of births; and that the thriving Graces of the Spirit, bosom Communion with Jesus Christ here, and highest rooms in heaven, will be the Honour of Honours. Consider, Great persons are great blessings or plagues; a train follows them to Heaven or Hell, they are not saved, or damned alone. They that stand in the worlds higher ground, who either lay the snares of an evil imitation, or are the presidents of an holy conversation, shall have great, either eternal Penalty, or Glory. Hath free Gospel grace shined in your soul? abuse it not: Hold forth the Word of Life in a gracious life. If you, and the  faithfull conjugal guide of your soul shall speed your motions to those heavenly, eternal Mansions, where the better than flowings of Milk and Hony, the sweet heavenly Feasts, and unglutting delights of eternitie shall be enjoyed: If you shall avoid this common scarlet sin of perverting Grace, which with an ungrateful Wantonnesse, treads under foot the Son of God, thinks, desires, affects, and lives, as if the blood of the Covenant were an unholy thing, and offers a proud despight to the Spirit of Grace: If the study of this book shall help you both, and others to walk exactly, to redeem the time, adorn the Gospel, credit Profession, glorifie God, and promote your own, and others eternal Salvation, you will both accomplish the design of publishing the ensuing Meditations, and encourage him, who is your remembrancer at the Throne of Grace, and remains

From Edmondsbury in Suffolk, Mar. 18. 1658.

Your engaged servant in the Work of the Gospel, NICH. CLAGET.

 

To the Christian Reader.

I Shall not detain thee with a long Preface, lest I may be injurious by keeping thee too long in the threshold: Onely a few things I shall premise concerning the reverend Author, and his excellent work. As for the Author, he hath been well known to me at least Five and twenty years, as being of * that Society with me (where from the first, even to this day, (through Gods goodness I yet continue) which hath bred and sent forth many faithful Laborers into Gods Vineyard, and many † learned Orthodox Writers. Of later years my acquaintance hath been much increased with this worthy Author, and I rejoyce therein: He hath for these fifteen years in Edmunds Bury in Suffolk, (Where he now resides) given abundant testimony of his industry and fidelity, in the discharge of his Ministery, and hath studied to approve himself a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed. He hath, (as it is said of Demetrius) obtain’d a good report, and of the truth: He is sound in the faith, and holy in life, & both by his life and Doctrine, makes it his business to win many souls unto righteousness. I adde no more concerning the Author, neither needed I have said so much, for he needs not my Letters of commendation: His Works speak far lowder, and praise him in the Gate. That * Corporation (where those † two faithful Servants of Christ do now exercise their Ministery) hath great cause of thankfulness, because God hath raised up such able Ministers now upon the place, in the room of their * worthy Predecessors, (with most of them I rejoyce that I have had the honor of acquaintance.) And that people, who like Capernaum, have been lifted up to Hea† Mr. Claget. M. Sclater. M. Gibbons. M. White. M. Calamy. burroughs. M. Sainthill. M. Wall.  ven with Gospel means, ought to remember, That where much is given, much is required. As for such who forsake faithful Teachers, and the Publick Assemblies, I heartily wish them timely and serious repentance, and that their Palates might have a right taste, then they will conclude, that the old wine is better then their new; and that godly ordained Ministers, are better then upstart, un-called, self-conceited Seducers.

Concerning the Book (the whole design whereof is to advance grace, and decry the abuse thereof) it cannot be expected, that I should ingage to bring of every Phrase, Punctillo, or Tittle, according to the curiosity of Criticks. As for such, whose fancies out-run their judgements, and with whom affectations of new coyn’d words, are more valued then the form of sound words; I am not careful to answer them in these matters, neither do I think their exceptions worthy of an Answer. However, I am fully perswaded, that the Treatise is solid and profitable, tending to edification; and throughout the whole, there runs a line of a gracious spirit: And whoever profits not thereby, hath more reason to question himself, then the Author: For if pride and prejudice be laid aside, I doubt not, but (through Gods blessing) much spiritual advantage will follow, upon the serious and deliberate perusal of this Book.

Now if any one Object that the World is glutted with multitude of Books; my answer is, For good, Orthodox, solid Writers, we have reason to bless God, for such helps we have by them, and ought to be desirous for the continual increase of them: As for vain, frothy, unsound Writers, we wish that they were supprest altogether: For some Books, we have too many; and of others, which are rotten, heretical, and blasphemous, we wish we had not any at all, but that they and their Authors might be buryed  together, and never be reviv’d, as now adays (with sorrow be it mentioned) they are, and become voluminous, to the great injury of the Church of God.

But as for such excellent Books as we have had of late years, I have cause to bless God that ever I read * them: I heartily wish that there were more of that kinde: One of the same stamp is this Treatise. The man and his Communication is one and the same: His design, (I am perswaded) is in the singleness of his heart to bring glory to God, in advancing of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. He was hardly prevail’d withal to put this Work to Print; but having communicated it to me, and referr’d it to my determination, after a deliberate perusal thereof, I would not by any means suppress that which I conceived might conduce to the publick good.

Wherefore (Reader) be pleased to spend some time (and it will be no lost time) in a careful reading of this profitable Treatise; and if thou be not wanting to thy self, I conceive thou wilt reap much benefit for thy precious soul. And this further request I have to thee, that thou would’st be mindful of the Author at the Throne of Grace; and of him also, who rejoyceth, that he hath been in any way instrumental to bring to light this Treatise, which in love to thy soul he hath now made publick, and remains,

Oxon, Magdalen-Hall. March 28. 1659.

Thy Servant for Christs sake, Henry Wilkinson.

 

The Authors Preface to the unprejudiced Reader.

THE corruption of the best things is the worst corruption; of Sense bad, of Reason worse, of * Grace worst of all. As chrystal waters are bemired, fair faces besported, not into ornament, but deformitie; so the pure chrystal streams of the Sanctuary are defiled, and the fair face of Gods Grace, the most orient Beauty of Heaven and Earth is bespotted by deforming Libertinism. There is no new thing under the Sun.a What hath been is, and will be, while the old man, and the old Serpent, in their impure conjunction, are apt and able to engender a numerous brood of licentious wantons. The Abuse of Gods goodness is as ancient as Angels and Adams fall. As Angels. They defaced the Primitive glory of their creation, stood not in * the truth,b but voluntarily depraved themselves from once pure, and blessed Angels, into unclean, and cursed Devils. Adam abusing himself and his freewill, lost himself and his freewill, perverted his sinless mutability given him to stand, to the worst use of it, to fall. Abused his soveraignty over Eve and the creatures, his bright burning candle of Reason, his Conscience fit to condemn, his Will able to reject Temptation, his regular affections, his tenacious memory, his natural homage to his Maker; in short, his created sufficiencie. Since this fall, and fatal epidemical degeneration, a loose wantonnesse hath run through the masse of all Mankind, by ordinary generation the Offspring of Adam. As Aelian relates, there is a sting of poyson that runs quite through the Lampreyes, a fish of a delicate taste, so the Abuse of Gods goodnesse runs through all the generations of men. The vilest of them are predominant wantons. The best have been too much infected with the leaven of looseness. The impure fire of the Sodomites Incontinencie, left the natural use, and burnt in lust to men.cBring out the men that we may know them.d The lascivious Israelites sate down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.e The degenerate Idolatrous seed of Abraham, oft left the bed of chast worship, and the pure heavenly delights of spiritual conjugal communion for the filthy exotick pleasures of superstitious Lovers.fThe sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair, and they took them wives of all which they chose.g Junius notes The daughters of men are opposed to the sons*of God. It was not worldly men that desired worldly women, but the sons of God, men in covenant with God, professed Church members that did fornicate after unsuitable contagious beauties, and so infected the Church. The posterity of Seth, who had the purity of Gods worship, as Otho Casman observes, we•e so debauched by carnal sensuality, ut extincto filiorum Dei semine, The seed of Gods sonnes being extinct, they set*up their carnal desires before their professed pure Religion. Lot was first abused with Wine, then with Incest hAaron the Saint of God i had a part in the guilt of the golden Idol kDavid was too lascivious in his house top. l The Lords covenan•ed people were linsey woolsey in their Religion, feared God, and yet served their Idols.mHalted between God and Baal.n Great Solomon was so enslaved to his wanton wives, that his hea•rt was after strange Gods. o The temple of the Lord was converted into a den of thieves, and became a sanctuary of wickedness. So under the New Testament clear Gospel-light hath been perverted to countenance works of darknesse. Ranting Libertines have been first poysoned in their Intellectuals. p They count it pleasure to riot in the Meridian Gospel-day-time, q and then they are infected in their Morals, and become adulterers, seducers, covetous, cursed children that cannot cease from sin. r Even the family of Christ had a licentious Judas that did personate, not live the Saint, but was a very Devil in a Saints cloaths. sSimon Magus would buy, that hee might sell the Spirit, make a worldly market, not an heavenly negotiation of the Holy Ghost. t The Apostle Paul blamed the Corinthians gifted, but infected Christians, with ••dings, u spiritual pride w contentions, x and carnal uncleanness. y The Widdow a Votary to Christ and his Gospel, waxed wanton against him, z preferred a life of carnal pleasures a before spiritual delights. In the primitive Feasts of Love, licentious Christians   fea•ed their lusts b as well as bellyes, Fed without feare,c had the character of their wantonnesse set out by the Apostles Peter and Jude. The deeds of the Nicolaitans were abominable, d Their error was accursed, who condemned Marriage, and gave license to Adulteries and Fornications, pure instituted Ordinances, (as none can doubt but they were such under Old and New Testament times) could not keep out impure hearts and lives. If the presence, power, and Doctrine of the Patriarchs, Prophets, •vageli••s, Apostles, could not prevent daring insolencies against the light of Gods truth, and holy profession, it is no wonder if in after ages, from this impure spring, Abuse of Grace, noisome streams of loose principles and practises are flown. Church History records how C•osticks, Valentinians, Arrians, Marcionites, Manichees, and others, have depraved the Truth of God, how under these and other Enemies of the Gospel, black egiments of Libertines have abused the Colours of Christ, and sided with the Prince of darknesse, by wronging the Grace of •od. Nor hath the church of Rome, under the Papacy cause to wipe her mouth and hug het selfe in her Paramount chastity, whose title is Mystery, Babilon, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth.e Shee is a wanton Bawd . Her pompous Religion in her splendid garrish Attire, her golden cup of Fornication, f speaks her a Wanton of Wantons: all the eye pleasing Pageantry of her unwritten Traditions, are but the wanton products of her carnall wisdome, pretencing to, but never proving scripture allowance. As the Mystical Fornication of her Idolatry is undeniable, so in a wanton indulgence, is shee a Fornicating Bawd in the Letter, besides the tolleration of stewes in Rome, one of her children Joannes a Casa hath exceeded the impure Hereticks of former times, defending, yea extolling corporall uncleannesse; and yet Romish impurity must all be courted under the name of the Church and Holinesse. This Romish impudent Strumpet is like Aristippus a filthy Philosopher, who freely Luxuriating with Lais an impure Strumpet, became a Pandor of a Philosoper, and thinking it not enough to live wickedly, he began to be a teacher of Lusts, translated his Brothel-house Life to the schoole, and taught the pleasure of the body to be the cheifest good. Thus neither professed Philosophy, nor christianity hath been an expedient  to curb the insolencies of vile, carnal, affections. Professed Heathens and Christians have been false to their lights and convictions, yea have wantonly, either put them out, or turned their backs upon them, and yet even in those times wherein loosenesse hath abounded against nature and grace, the Lord hath stirred up witnesses to beare a severe Testimony against both kinds of Abuses.

Among the Degenerate seed of Adam, loose Pagans, there were many that abused their Gods, whereof some were whole, some halfe Atheists: Some whole, Wicked men contemners of Religion, Denyed the Being of a God, as Diagoras, Melius, who was therefore called an Atheist, and Theodorus Cyrenaicus,* and Eumerius Siculus. Others halfe Atheists, acknowledged a Deity, yet denyed Providence, That God had any care of humane affaires, that he governed the World, yea denyed also the immortality of the Soule, and a life in the other world: Lucian was such a semi-Atheist, making sport with Jupiter, for being too cool and indulgent in his government: to condemne lewd unmorral Heathens, there were, I may say, a stricter sort of Pagans, externally pure from the grosse crimes of the times, though guilty of innumerable blameable impurities of the Heart, unwasht by faith. Such were Aristides, surnamed the Just. Phocion the Good profitable Patriot, Cymon Incredibly beneficial and Liberal to the poore; Epaminondas, modest, grave, true; Socrates, patient, meek; Xenocrates, continent, frugal; Lucretia, chast, Also * the Camilli, Curij, Fabij, Fabritij, Catoes, Scipioes, were eminent externall Moralists, whose examples may shame profane Christians. Seneca thus complained of debauched Pagans, This said he our Ancestors complained of, this is our complaint, this wil be a complaints, good manners are overthrowne, wickednesse reignes, men grow worse and worse; but because even among Christians, there are that Pene supra modum, as one saith, are excessive admirers of Pagans virtue, yea some wanton wits among us, are more taken with Heathen, then protestant writers, so thin in using these, so large in quoting those; it will be needful to shew the sad and dreadfull desiciencies of the most shining Pagan morality, it was ignorant, ill principled, and ill ended.

 

Ignorant of the true God, and the true way of his Worship; * and without the worship of the true God, ehat which seems to be virtue is sin: They were ignorant of the main, viz. the knowledge of Jesus Christ, the deceits of the heart, the mischief of original corruption, the fall of Adam.

So their Morality was ill principled, the product of self-sufficiency: They went not out of themselves to be virtuous, made their own Reason and Wills the sole Basis on which they built their most stately virtuous Edifice: Hence their proud titles of fore-Election, and self-power, too high a stile for lapsed sinners: They were not poor, but proud in spirit, and arrogated too much to their own strength.

Lastly, It was ill ended: Heathens vertue centred in vain Glory, not Gods Glory. What a proud abominable speech was that of C. Cotta in Cicero, No man ever thanked God for his virtue,*for we are praised for virtue, and rightly glory in virtue, which would not be, if God gave it us, and we had it not from our selves; and a little after, saith he, Was ever man thankful to the Gods, that he was a good man? He may be indeed, that he was Rich, Honored, Healthy. It seems they called Jupiter, Optimum Maximum, the greatest and best, not because he makes just, temperate, wise, but safe, honored, and wealthy: No wonder then if Augustine called the virtues of the Heathens, Glittering sins: Rivius, The vain shadows of virtues; and Lactantius, The Images of virtues: All which speaks morality, yea, the whole Body of virtuous Paganism, without God and Christ, but as a Body without an head.

Dives, quod Honoratus, quod Incolumis. Cicero. Splendida peccata. Aug. Ʋmbrae. Rivius. Imagines virtutum. Lactan.

Further, as the better sort of Heathens were witnesses against the scandalous and profane, whose yet moral Eminencies, were too low and weak ladders to climb up to their Blessed Making, Summum Bonum, and its adjunct Perpetuity: So in the evil times of Licentious Christians, God hath been wont to enter in warnings and protests, by his servants against them.

 

In this time, saith Luther, There is no discipline at all, no Justice,*no modesty among men: We cry, we urge, we are instant in season and out of season, but the Magistrate winks at sin: So many now adays, saith he, abuse the Doctrine of the Gospel, and in the mean time flatter themselves, though I live in my sins, and am wicked, I will repent at length. ‘Tis said of Duke George, He could be converted in the last Article of life. So the Antinomists say, They can be converted in their own time, and so contemn their blessing, The Church Baptism, the Keys, Remission, Repentance, Eternal life, and receive the grace of God in vain.

Melancton, though a man of a very milde Spirit, thus hotly * rebuked lawless Liberoines: The Antinomians are to be accursed (said he) who will not teach the Law in the Church, and fain all their Impulses to be the motions of the Spirit, and will not be governed by the Law: These dotages are horrible, Diabolical Furies, such as were of old of many Sects.

Zuinglius sighed out these words, If we were called Satanists*for Christians, there were no need of other maners: O calamity, never enough to be deplored! O inestimable misery! We do with such infamy disgrace the noble and truly precious name of Christ, as if, like a Mercury, he were the God and Patron of Usury, Theft, Rapine, and Robbery.

Brentius thus rebuked the loose Gospellers of his Age: There * is so great a corruption of maners, such fludious injustice, that we give no occasion to our enemies, to believe we trust in good works; for how should you trust in what you have not.

Hemingius, a Dane Divine, observing the abuse of Justification, thus writes: ‘Tis an error of Ancient and Modern Libertines, when they hear men are freely justified by anothers righteousnesse, they teach carnal security, as if the justified by faith many live as they list.

 

Musculus thus declaimed against visible licentiousness: ‘Tis clearer then the Meridian light: Unbridled men count nothing sin that*suits with their lusts: The Devil doth not let loose the reins more on the necks of the Heathens, Turks, and Infidels, than of Gospellers: with what infamy and shameful turpitude are we branded? our reproach is our enemies triumph.

Nicolaus Gallasias, taxed the Anabaptists of his time, that * they were like the Valentian Sect: Various, Arrogant, Curious, subtle in their error, resembling them in despising others, fained Holiness, fair Speeches, soaring aloft to high things, seeming to be estranged from the World, and governed by the Spirit.

Jacobus Andraeas faulted the debauched Germans: The Word was preached among them with no Reformation; Their life and*conversation was Horrid, Epicureal, Bestial: Christ was not so much blasphemed among Turks; they were wanton in their most costly and foolish apparel, and all this loose carriage was vailed under a Gospel cover.

Joannes Rivius, a Saxon Divine, in his Epistle to the Duke of Saxony, thus complains: As of old, in the infancy of the Christian Church, Christ sent his Apostles into the world to preach the*Gospel: The Devil stirred up his Apostles, under pretence of Christ and his Gospel, who used Scripture testimony to corrupt the Purity of Doctrine: So when Christ hath stirred up in this age pious Writers, to restore the Doctrine of the Gospel; The Devil hath stirred up Anabaptists, and other Sectaries, to defile the purity of restored truth, under pretence of promoting the Gospel, removing errors, and restoring Orthodox Religion: Thus the Prince of darkness is transformed into an Angel of light.

Joannes Spangeburgius, thus blamed licentious Libertines, that would be kept in no bonds: after they saw they were set at liberty * from the chains of Popery, they would be free and discharged from the Gospel, and the commands of God.

 

Calvin called the Libertines of his time, Evil spirits, cloathed*with humane appearance, of all mortals the most wicked. In his Opuscula, he hath written a sad and severe Tractate against Libertines.

Salvians words were sad, What is the Assembly of Christians, but a sink of sin? Why do we flatter our selves with the Christian*name? When this most sacred name doth load our guilt; for therefore, under the stile of Religion, we mock God, because we sin under its holy profession.

Thus we see the loose carriages of former times, hath sadded the hearts, and sharpned the stile of Pious, Zealous, Judicious Writers: Well were it, if this prodigious sin, perverting the grace of God, had been confined to former ages: The same impure, corrupt Spring of dissoluteness, that of old hath sent forth muddy streams of polluting opinions and conversations, hath run in our own times in too offensive and plentiful a Current: No side or denomination of Protestants, as Lutheran or Calvinist, Episcopal, Presbyterian or Independent, but in something or other, either in greater or lesser spots, they have defiled their Garments. Gods chastising hand hath been very heavy upon the party of the Prelatical perswasion, among whom (I hope) some have risen by their falls, been inriched by their impoverishments, and endeavored to secure the certainties of blessed Eternity, by seeing the brittle glassen Pomp and glory of * the World, glittering and broken: and such a glorious fruit of the Crosse, I wish to all complaining losers, that they may see they have as well faln in their sins as their Estates: But alas! are not many of you wantons both under and against Gods Judgments and Mercies, in your Principles, Fancies, Fashions, sensual Pleasures, Visits, vain Education of your Children and Servants, Family Irreligion, mis-spending precious time? Do you not throw the old scoff of Puritans upon all that dissent * from you: Read with patience what a learned Doctor spake in an Holy Day Court-Sermon: Our Profession is Christianity, but not our practice: We resemble Paganism: We are so far from emulating  gracious examples, that of all things we cannot endure to be suspected of too much Holiness: therefore we choose to swear, swagger, riot, quaff with prophane company, rather then to be defamed with the imputation of purity. If your own experience Eccho with this loosnesse, blame not what you read, but be humbled, zealous, and repent.

And Reader, if thou be such a one as hast sought for a strict Government, Order and Worship of God in his Church, thou hast even cause to resent it with grief, tears, and blushing, that there want not proofs, that endeavored Reformation hath been too impotent to prevent the wanton Abuses of Gods grace: Have not some loose opinions been Preached, Printed, Dispersed, Believed, Tolerated, yea infected Consciences and Lives? Do those that cry out against the men, spirit, and ways of the world, stand at such distance from the World in Lusts, Affections, Conversation, as they do in Language? Doth their outward garb shew they are not fashioned to the world? Are not the Pleasures, gaudy Fashions, Estates, Pomps of the World too grateful?

Tertullian hath taught us, Thou art delicate, O Christian! If*thou desirest worldly pleasure: Thou art a fool if thou accountest this pleasure: What is more delightful then Gods Reconciliation, Truths Revelation, Errors acknowledgement, Sins Pardon? What greater pleasure then the contempt of Pleasure? What greater liberty then an upright conscience, a contented life, and a fearless death? These are the pleasures, these are the spectacles, the merriments of Christians: How will standers by be convinced, that that Reformation is of such a sublimate Heavenly extraction, which should better appear by shining Graces, then glittering out-sides. I know Christian liberty, as it is now stretched, doth not onely allow monstrous long Hair, but glorious apparel, glittering in gold and silver lace, and other sumptuous Gaudery, which in the Judgement of Scripture, Conscience, and the last Tribunal, were better bestowed upon the bellies and backs of the poor. That speech might here be properly applyed, Ad quid perditio haec?

I could wish Christians would learn of Proba, an heavenly Christian, descended of Roman Consuls, brought up in Royal Delights, yet was such an humble servant of God, that she forgat  her high birth and breeding, contemned the delights on the body, relieved the hungry by her abstemious fasting, and was clad in*mean apparrel that she might the better cloath the poor. O ye rich professing Christians, follow Proba, and abatements of your pompous glory on your backs and tables will speak you less worldly, and fit you to be more mercifull. ‘Tis a ground of sad conjecture that you are little taken with inward glory, when you lay out so much in outward. Plato held it a notorious crime for a Magistrate to touch gold and silver, to wear it in garments, to drink out of it; because (said he) they have divine gold and silver in their minds, and need none of mans, deeming it irreligion to prophane the divine with humane. O professed Christians! who if really such, doe out-worth the gold of Ophir, and the Spanish Silver Fleets, if you can study, value, get, and improve the choice silver of Righteous Tongues g, and the richly wrought cloth of gold, h visible shining Good Works, you wil be very little taken with outward, splendid glory. He humbled you are such worldly, gaudy fashion-followers. Besides, doe not your ungoverned passions and tongues want of Pitty, courtesie, equity, external reverence in the Worship of God, over-greedy, covetous purchases, selfishness, slight, formal keeping the Sabbath, divisions, contentions, crying up and down the Ministry of the Gospel according to your fancy and humour, not your reason not grace, speak you Wantons, and in these things too much carnal, * and walkers as men i Think of this, O all ye Reforming party, that decry abuses in Prelatical Government, and spend much breath, heat, and time in declaiming against them (though I excuse none of their faults) study, bewail, amend your own visible miscarriadges, We can never confute, nor reform others faults by our own. Lets take heed when we cry out against others, that we doe not, as Diogenes did of Plato, trample upon their Pride with greater Pride. O that all parties would lay to heart their sad unanswerableness to Costel-grace, and by the wisdom that is from above without partiality think themselves concerned in the * following Tractate. No Christian, unlesse he be drunk, and spiritually mad by the Quakers cup of Error, the intoxicating fume or dream of Perfection, but in some things or others hath abused the grace of God. Do not all of us almost (said Luther) live in themost filthy abuse of Gods gifts? We cannot know the strictness of the Law of God, and Gospel-rules, and our own loose unconformity, but we have cause to say guilty, and to cry mightily to God, Spare us O Lord.

And now whoever thou aot that readest the ensuing Treatise, I beseech thee lay to heart this great sin, branded in this Book with all its aggravating circumstances of Abusing the Grace of God. Let thy whole life and conversation evidence thy walking in the spirit, thy self-abhorrency, and universal hatred of sin, that with David, every false way thou utterly abhorrest. The design I drive (my conscience bearing me witnesse) is to advance Grace in my own, and others hearts and lives, and to prevent the abuse of it. Let not any of us abuse Grace, like Spiders, sucking poyson out of so sweet an hearb, which then we doe apparently when we turn the Grace of God into wantonness. If by these Meditations God may have glory, and the Reader any spiritual benefit, I shall abundantly rejoice that I have any way contributed my Mite towards assistance of such as walk in the narrow way to life.

Lastly, I earnestly beg thy prayers, that I may be faithful in my Ministry, valiant for the truth against all gainsayers, and instrumental to winne many souls unto righteousnesse. And so good Reader, I commend these my endeavours to the blessing of God, and commit thee to Gods Gracious Providence, and remain,

From my study in Edmundsbury in Suffolk, March 18. 1658.

Thy helper in the narrow way to Life, Nicholas Claget.

 

The Contents of the Chapters.

Jude v. 4. Turning the Grace of God into lasciviousness, pag. 1

• CHAP. 1. Containing the coherence of the words, p. 1
• CHAP. 2. Containing the Explanation of the words, Deduction of the Doctrin, with the Method of handling it, p. 3
• CHAP. 3. Shewing in how many waies or kinds the grace of God may be turned into wantonness, p. 4.
  • Sect.
    • 1. Predestinating grace is turned into wantonness, 5
    • 2. Sparing grace is turned into wantonnesse, 7
    • 3. Long-suffering grace is turned into wantonness, 8
    • 4. The whole time of grace is turned into wantonness, 10
    • 5. The inviting offers of Grace are turned into wantonness, 15
    • 6. The means of grace are turned into wantonness, 24
    • 7. The examples of grace are turned into wantonness, 34
    • 8. Reconciling grace is turned into wantonness, 37
    • 9. Adopting grace is turned into wantonness, 38
    • 10. Freeing grace is turned into wantonness, 47
    • 11. Pardoning grace is turned into wantonness, 50
    • 12. The grace of imputed righteousness is turned into wantonness, 55
    • 13. Gloryfying grace is turned into wantonness, 61
• CHAP. 4. Shewing when the grace of God is turned into wantonness, 69
  • Sect.
    • 1. The Grace of God is turned into wantonness, in reference to sin, four waies, 69
    • 2. The grace of God is turned into wantonness, when the heart is fearless of sin, 70
    • 3. The grace of God is turned into wantonness, when the heart is sorrowless for sin, 71
    • 4. The grace of God is turned into wantonness, when the heart is powerless over sin, 71

• • • 5. The grace of God is turned into wantonness, when the sinner carries loosly as to God in 4. particulars, 75
    • 6. The grace of God is turned into wantonness, when the heart carries wickedly as to Christ in 3. things, 77
    • 7. When the heart carrieth wickedly as to the Law of God, Doctrinally and Practically, 82
    • 8. The grace of God is turned into wantonness, when as it carrieth wickedly as to the Gospel of Christ, 84
    • 9. The grace of God is turned into wantonness, when as the heart carrieth it wickedly as to the creatures, 87
• CHAP. 5. Wherein are set down the causes why the grace of God is turned into wantonness, 89
  • Sect.
    • 1. Want of knowing the work and abuse of grace, 90
    • 2. Want of Faith to beleeve the signal darger of sin causeth ab•se of grace, 91
    • 3. Want of heat, intention, and livelyness in Religion, causeth abuse of grace, 91
    • 4. Want of receiving of the truth in love, is an advantage to turn a Libertine, 93
    • 5. Want of laying to heart Gospel-threatnings, causeth abuse of grace, 95
    • 6. Want of grace, changing, and affecting the heart, causeth abuse of grace, 96
    • 7. Want of the upright and genuine use of grace, causeth abuse of grace, 97
    • 8. Want of sound conviction of the mischief of original corruption, is a cause of turning the grace of God into wantonness, 98
    • 9. Want of considering the streight way to life, causeth the abuse of grace, 101
    • 10. Error in 5. particulars, causeth the abuse of grace, 103
    • 11. The error of sufficient attainments in Religion, causeth the abuse of grace, 104
    • 12. A gross error, to the abuse of grace, that what pleaseth the loose sinner, pleaseth God, 107
    • 13. Another error, that abuseth grace is, that false evidences are true, 107
    • 14. The error of abusive interpretation of Scripture hath produced the abuse of grace, 113

• • • 15. The grace of God is abused by Presumption, 123
    • 16. Presumption of interest in the Promises causeth abuse of grace, 126
    • 17. The presumption of setting Death and Judgement at a far distance causeth the abuse of grace, 129
    • 18. The presumption of time enough to repent, causeth the abuse of grace, 131
    • 19. Temptation causeth the abuse of grace in 4. particulars, 134
    • 20. Evill company is a temptation to wrong the grace of God, 137
    • 21. Scandalous sins of the godly are temptations to abuse grace, 139
    • 22. Divisions and contentious about Christian Religion, cause abuse of grace, 144
• CHAP. 6. Shewing wherein the greatness of this sin appears, 143
  • Sect.
    • 1. It a sin of a more than ordinary prophaness, 153
    • 2. It is an hypocritical sin, 154
    • 3. It is an ungrateful sin, 155
    • 4. Abuse of grace is a sin against experience, 156
    • 5. Abuse of grace is a sin destructive to true faith, 158
    • 6. Abuse of grace is opposite to the power of godliness, 158
    • 7. Abuse of grace is a reproaching sin, 159
    • 8. Abuse of grace brings daily loss to the soul, 160
    • 9. Abuse of grace is a despising sin, 161
    • 10. Abuse of grace is a revo•t•ng sin, 162
    • 11. Abuse of grace is an unexcusable sin, 165
    • 12. Abuse of grace is an heathenish sin, 165
    • 13. Abuse of grace is an universal sin, 167
    • 14. Abuse of grace is an unchurching sin, 168
• CHAP. 7. Wherein are set forth the punishments of this great sin, abusing Gods grace, 171
  • 1. It is a great judgement to be given up to carnal lusts, 171
  • 2. Spiritual blind•ess is a judgement inflicted on those who pervert the grace of God, 174
  • 3. Hardness is a •udgement inflicted upon such as abuse the grace of God, 175
  • 4. Incurableness in sin is a judgement against those who abuse the grace of God, 177
  • 5. Prophaning of Gods grace will bring a terrible judgement at the last day, 178
  • 6. The hottest room in hell will be the judgement of them that abuse grace, 179
• CHAP. 8. Containing an use of Infomation, 181
  • Sect.
    • 1. Sin is of a poysonous nature, 181
    • 2. Ordinances of grace are no sufficient pleas for happiness, 181
    • 3. The joyes of carnal Gospellers are false joyes, 182
    • 4. The best things have evill entertainment from hard hearts, 183
    • 5. The grace of God is to be applied with fear and trembling, 183
    • 6. Carnal Gospellers never knew the grace of God in truth, 184
    • 7. It is a safe and wise course to be trying our principles and practises in Christianity, 185
    • 8. The Devil hath his snares in the most holy things, 186
    • 9. Libertinisme puts the highest affront upon God, 186
• CHAP. 9. Containing an Use of Humiliation, 187
  • Sect.
    • 1. Ʋpright hearted persons ought to bewaile the abuse of Gods grace, 188
    • 2. The abuse of sparing grace is sadly revenged, 189
    • 3. It is our duty to bewail the abuse of Gods long-suffering grace, 190
    • 4. Bewail the abuse of Gods reconciling grace, 190
    • 5. Bewail the abuse of Gods freeing grace, 191
    • 6. Bewail the abuse of pardoning grace, 192
• CHAP. 10 Containing an Use of Examination, 194
  • 1. They are gross abusers of grace who oppose gospel Merits and Mercies to the Worship of God, 195
  • 2. They abuse grace who formally and carelesly pray for it, 195
  • 3. They abuse grace who shroud unrighteous courses under the grace of God, 197
  • 4. They abuse Gods grace who content themselves with faint desires, 179
  • 5. They abuse Gods grace who by restraint at one time take liberty  to sin more freely at another time, 200
  • 6. They abuse Gods grace who turn it into a sanctuary for unnatural sins, 201
  • 7. They abuse the grace of God who think it will afford indulgence to vile affections, 205
  • 8. They abuse Gods grace who oppose it to necessary civilities, 207
  • 9. They abuse Gods grace who are eminent worldlings, 212
  • 10. They abuse grace who are sensless and stupid Libertines, 216
  • 11. They abuse Gods grace who are guiltie of wrong to the creature, 218
• CHAP. 11. Containing a second branch of Examination, how we may know the secret, close, and morerefined abuses of Gods grace, 223
  • Sect.
    • 1. A sinful close of spritual cnjoyments is an evidence of the abuse of grace, 224
    • 2. Irreverence of Gods Majesty is an evidence of the abuse of grace, 228
    • 3. Forgetfulness of God is an evidene of the abuse of grace, 231
    • 4. Secret acting of heart-sinnes, is an evidene of the abuse of grace, 231
    • 5. Adventuring on lesser sins is an abuse of grace, 232
    • 6. Abuse of Gods grace appears in discontentment at Gods gracious corrections, 234
    • 7. The daring to do that when the Rod is off, which one would not when the Rod is on, is a sign of the abuse of grace, 235
    • 8. Shamelesness before the Lord for acknowledged sins, is an evidence of the abuse of grace, 236
    • 9. Insensibleness of others miseries is an evidence of the abuse of grace, 238
    • 10. Ʋn-improvement of grace received is an evidence of abuse of grace, 239
    • 11. Pride, and desire of prel•eminence is an evidence of the abuse of grace, 240
    • 12. Declining hardship in the practise of Religion is an abuse of grace, 241
    • 13. Neglect of daily repentance is an evidence of abuse of grace, 242

 

• CHAP. 12. Containing an Use of Caution. 244
  • Sect.
    • 1. Beware thou put not off the tryal of turning the grace of God into wantonness, 244
    • 2. Take heed of denying the proof of gross affronts to Gods grace, 246
    • 3. See to it that you slight not the conviction, 247
    • 4. Refuse not to put sad and ser•ous Queries to thy soul, 8. especially,
    • 5. The second part is an use of caution, concerning the close wronging of Gods grace, 250
    • 6. Beware of judging wantonnesse against grace by a false rule, 251
    • 7. Beware of Security, 253
    • 8. Be not content with a slight humiliation for close abuse of Gods grace, 253
• CHAP. 13. Shewing the difference between wronging the grace of God in the Regenerate and Unregenerate, 255
  • Sect.
    • 1. The abuse of Gods grace in a child of God is onely from the unregenerate part, 255
    • 2. Though a gracious man abuse grace, yet he is deeply humbled for it, 256
    • 3. A child of God watcheth over his heart, 256
    • 4. A regenerate man abuseth grace less and less, 257
    • 5. A regenerate repents and is pardoned, 257
• CHAP. 14. Containing an Ʋse of Exhortation, 258
  • Sect.
    • 1. Learn of the gracious, and precious heart, and life of Jesus Christ, 258
    • 2. A cleansed, purged heart is a special help to avoid abusing of the grace of God, 259
    • 3. The fear of God is an help against the abuse of grace. 260
    • 4. Christian watchfulness is an help against abuse of grace, 261
    • 5. Praier in the Holy Ghost is a special help against the abuse of grace, 262
    • 6. Walking in the Spirit is an help against the abusing of grace, 263

• • • 7. Serious thoughts what it is to crucifie lusts, is an help to prevent the abuse of grace, 264
    • 8. A thankfull spirit is a special help to prevent the abuse of grace, 265
    • 9. Godly sorrow is an help against abuse of grace, 266
    • 10. Close union with God is a special help against abuse of grace, 268
    • 11. A constant subduing the first depraved motions is a speciall help to prevent abuse of grace, 269
    • 12. Planting the soul with heavenly desires is an help to prevent abuse of grace, 269
    • 13. Beating down that grand Idol, carnal self-love, is an help against abusing the grace of God, 270
    • 14. The lively faith and sense of the heavenly country is a special help to prevent the abuse of grace, 271
    • 15. Keeping up of grace in exercise prevents abusing of grace, 271
    • 16. The hope of glory is a special means to prevent the abuse of grace, 272
• CHAP. 15. Shewing what great cause of thankfulnesse we owe to God for preserving from this sin, 273
• CHAP. 16. Containing an Exhortation, that souls should alwaies be jealous of this sin, 274
• CHAP. 17. Containing an Exhortation to long for a riddance from this sinne, 275
• CHAP. 18. Containing an Exhortation to joy in the Hope of glory. 277
• CHAP. 19. Containing perswasive Motives to take heed that the grace of God be not abused, 278
  • Sect.
    • 1. The consideration of the titles given to holy Professors should excite us not to abuse Gods grace, 278
    • 2. The consideration of Christian Liberty should prevent the abuse of grace, 279
    • 3. The credit of the Gospel should engage us to beware of abusing the grace of God, 280

• • • 3. The strict and high heavenly calling of Christians should keep us from abusing the grace of God, 281
    • 5. A lively sense of the excellency of grace is a means to prevent the abuse of grace, 282

ERRATA.

PAg. 15. l. 24. for members read numbers. p. 32. l. 9. f. written r. writers. p. 32. l. 35. f. eternal r. external. p. 51. l. 32. f. yea what tear, a property of true repentance, r. yea what fear? Such a fear as is a property of true repentance. p. 60. l. 19. f. by r. from. p. 61. l. 37. f. Now r. How. p. 63. l. 5. & p. 233. l. 22. f. layes r. lyes. p. 69. l. 18. & p. 75. l. 14. after carrieth r. himself. p. 77. l. 34. & p. 82. l. 24. & p. 84. l. 27. & p. 87. l. 3. f. carrieth wickedly r. carrieth it self wickedly. p. 98. l. 22. f. as followeth r. if followed. p. 195. l. 33. f. fromally r. formally. p. 150. in marg. f. Maia r. Maria. p. 152. in marg. f. carnē nostrā r. carne nostrâ. p. 158. in marg. f. n r. non, & f. obcemperat r. obtemperat. p. 247. l. 22. before slight r. to. p. 252. l. ult. before wholly r. from a. p. 109. l. ult. f. Tis r. worst of all when a wicked life reigns. p. 110. l. 1. f. He wel knows r. It’s well known. p. 123. f. Sect. 11. r. 15. & p. 126. f. Sect. 12. r. 16. and so correct the rest in order. p. 255. Sect. 1. in marg. f. unregenerate r. regenerate. p. 182. in marg. f. damis r. damnis. p. 237. in marg. f. nuderi r. nudari.

  

The Abuse of Grace.

Jude Epist. Ver. IV.Turning the grace of God into lasciviousnesse.

CHAP I. Containing the coherence of the words.

THE Doctrine of the Gospell, * a Cabinet of precious Jewells, the word of Truth, Holinesse, and Salvation, from its precious excellency calls for love and carefull custodie. It fares with it as with rich treasures, in hazard of losse and abuse. The Apostle Jude had written to converted Christians, the preserved and called in Jesus Christ, v. 1. about glorious eternall salvation common to the whole houshold of faith, that * they would bee faithfull and zealous keepers of this sacred depositum, the word of life, and not suffer the saving records of the Gospell, to be wrested from them, but contend earnestly for the faith. v. 3. as men doe for their naturall and civill rights. Good reason they should give proofe of their vigilant zeal, and stedfastnesse * in the truth, for it was with them, as with a ship fraught with silver, silkes and other precious things, Their heavenly   riches was in jeopardy of false fingers. Certaine men, rotten-hearted Professors, of the Christian name crept into their assemblies unawares, v. 4. ordained, or , forewritten or deciphered, to so wicked a frame of heart and life, as would bring them under certain Condemnation; They were ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousnesse, and denying the only Lord God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. As when cut-purses creepe and crowd into assemblies, there is neede to looke to ones watch and money; so privy invaders and abusers of the precious and swing reports of the Gospell, call for heedfullnes. Turning the Grace of God &c.

The words are a part of the sad description of some antient Apostate Christians, the sectmasters and Schollers in pernicious error and libertinisme, no better then reall blasphemers (though their tongues were gilt over with the golden language of Gospell Grace) as if they would have the leave of God to doe the worke of the Devill, they palliated their sin under grace, as if they would make their wickednesse sacred, the holy Gospell and the righteous blessed God patrons of licenciousness; a sad copy of defiance against the majestie of heaven, drawne of old by the first Arch deceiver, and Hypocriticall lusts, too skilfully, commonly, * and scandalously written-after by the wanton loose Gospellers of the present age. These Seducers were the Nicolaitans, saith Illyricus, an unclean generation. Such was Simon who taught communitie of women, and the Gnostickes, who pretending to an eminent and superlative measure of divine knowledge, yet were beastly wantons, using all uncleannesse as the fruit of Gods grace, and declaring that all holy and righteous courses, were at an end by the preaching of the grace of God, were therefore called and accounted a dirty miry sect. These and such as these turned the grace of God into wantonness.

  

CHAP. II. Containing the explanation of the words. Deduction of a doctrine, with the method of handling of it.

THREE words opened will give the cleare sence of the Apostle in the Text. Turning, Grace, Lasciviousness.

1. Turning. The word imports Transplacing,*Transporting, taking things from their due situation to a wrong place, so Turning intends the transplacing and perverting of grace from the place God had set it, into the place lust, and the Divell would set it: transferring it from Gods end to the sinners, as if by a monstrous displacing and deformed error of nature, the pure Christall eye were set on the dirty feet, the Dungcart were followed and served by Nobles in Scarlet, a cleane sumptuous perfumed chamber, should be debased unto the impure office of a vessel wherein there is no pleasure.
2. Grace. By it one understands the Law of Grace the whole * Gospell state. Another understands Christian Religion, a Third the Doctrine of the Grace of God. We may also understand Gods love and the choise tokens of it, Christ, his Graces and Spirit. The word Grace comprehends all. Gods favour, his especiall love tokens, his Gospell the great Epistle to his beloved. All this grace by the concurrent wickednes of Satan and the flesh is displaced, perverted and abused.
3. Lasciviousnes. The word is translated Vncleannesse. The *Siriack interpreter hath rendred it Faetorem, Stench, or stinking. It is joyned with the word uncleannesse. The works of the flesh are manifest. Vncleannesse Lasciviousnes, Gal. 5. 19. Obscene words and actions are understood, and by consequence their impure fountain whence they flow, The word compriseth all kind of obscenitie and lust: Some affirme the word , is from and a Citie between Galatia and Cappadocia, from  that is an Intensive Enlarging the sence, and Selege a Towne most infamous for Lust. The word also is translated wantonness. Let us not walke in wantonnesses. The terme is Plurall, Wantonnesses. Rom. 13. 13. In it’s full and comprehensive meaning, it imports all loose prophane abuse in heart and life of Gods grace, and is extensive to all licentiousnesse in sin in all the filthines of flesh and Spirit, from the highest to the lowest unpurged defilement.

The summe is. These monsters of men, unworthy the name of Christians, the Reproach of the Gospell, doe transfer the grace of God in his favour, spirit, graces, and doctrine of his blessed Gospell, from the high end God intended it, of holynes and righteousnesse, into a wanton loosenesse, and daring licentiousnes in sin.

This being done in the times and places amongst the persons of Gospell light that owne the name of Christian. The Doctrine will be. hat,

In Gospell times the Grace of God hath such high abuse as to [Doctrine.] be turned into wantonnesse.

In handling this sad truth I shall enquire into six things, * 1. What are the kinds of Turning Gods Grace into wantonness? 2. When it is Turned into Wantonness? 3. Why it is Turned into wantonnesse? 4. How great is the sin thereof? and 5ly What is the Punishment God usually followes this sin withall? 6ly and lastly, What improvement we may make of it by some usefull Application?

CHAP. III. Shewing in how many ways or kinds the Grace of God may be Turned into Wantonnesse.

1. PREDESTINATING grace is Turned * into Wantonness. It is a wrested Conclusion from this glorious principle: God hath chosen me to life; therefore, though I live as I list, I shall be saved: A bastard inference and practise, that this chast truth never begat. The Contrary deduction flowes from the grace of Election. As the Elect of God, holy, not loose, Col. 3. 12. He hath chosen us to salvation through sanctification of the spirit, 2. Thes. 2. 13. through it as a part of our salvation, execution of Gods decree, ornament of the saving Gospell, fitnes for eternall life; not through the filthines of flesh and spirit, as if wickedness were the way to happines, and God had from Eternity designed an everlasting rest to the industrious services of the Devill. He hath chosen us in him that we should be holy, Ephes. 1. 4. That Holynesse which lay hid in the womb of Gods eternal purpose is infallibly brought forth in time, in all vessels of honour. The Apostle inferred Sobriety, Faith, and Hope in the children of Gospel light, from Gods appointments, not a loose sleeping in sinne: Let us be sober, &c. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Thes. 5. 9. God hath not appointed us the Word, nor put us, or set or placed us in a state of avenging * wrath, but gracious salvation. He puts us in this blessed estate by predestinating, calling, drawing, regenerating, and justifying; not by a fearlesse, carelesse living, and dying in reigning sin. Musculus well taxeth this abuse: The contempt of Gods*grace incurrs his heaviest wrath. Wherefore say not, There is no danger however I live; God hath put me into a state of salvation, his positive decree is firme, I cannot be damned, I shall be saved. Rather say, Farre be it that I should sinne against Gods gracious purposes and perish; rather I will a commodate my self unto his gracious will, and be saved. He hath designed me for this, would have me be a Christian: therefore I must live the gracious life of a Christian, not the infamous of an Heathen. Ho• irrationall and ungodly is the inference of wickednesse from Gods pure purposes. If a sick patient should say, under mortall diseases, It matters not what I doe, I will eat, and drink, and doe what I list, my Physician hath not appointed me to death, but recovery: Would you not think him a mad man, and self-destroyer? O impure disputer against the holy purposes of God, it will appeare to be thy folly and madnesse, because God (thou thinkest) hath not appointed thee to Hell, but Heaven, to live as a vessel of wrath, and yet hope to be saved, when the direct way to the North leads to the South, shalt thou goe to glory in the way of Gods reproach, the contempt of Christ, and thine own damnation? Gods gracious promises and decrees tune with each other. As he never promised, so he never purposed eternall salvation to an unregenerate heart, and a loose life. His Predeterminations to a blessed end, involve suitable meanes. As he never intended man should live by poyson, but by bread,   so it is absolutely distant from the thoughts of his heart, that a man should live to God and with God for ever, by an indulgence to the flesh in its lusts and affections, sensualities, and * delights. God appointed Paul and his company to escape shipwracke, but it was by swimming on boards and broken peeces of the ship. Act. 27. 24. Thus God hath appointed some to escape the wrath to come, but it is by faith and mortification, getting on the planck of repentance, swimming through by the strength of Christ, not drowning in the sea of the world. God appointed Noah to salvation from the worlds deluge, but it was by getting into the Arke. A Loose heart and life is no accommodation to execution of predestinating grace, but opposition. The eternall,*saving, discriminating Counsels of God, are to many the cause of their standing, to no• chosen vessell the cause of their falling. The doctrine of absolute and free election rightly understood, powerfully revealed in the evidences of grace, well used, hinders no vessell of glory but helps him to heaven. They that can without any Scripture warrant, any choise worke of the spirit, easily and presumptuously write their names in the book of life, and as the Israelites wantonly played about their golden Idol, so in a lascivious mirth are loose flesh-pleasers, and feast their Corruptions, will have a dreadfull demonstration after death in judgment, and to eternitie, that their names were written in the black book of death, not the white of life. The most holy and righteous Judge of the world will never say, Come yee blessed eternally prepared by a free choise to an heavenly kingdome, to those that lived and died in their indulged cursed natures and lives, but to those select happy ones, whose hearts were gloriously transformed, and conversation really fashioned after the Gospell pattern. O the sad confutation of them that build prophane libertinisme on this firme and pure foundation, Predestinating grace, their pretended interest in it and pleasing conceits of it will vanish like a golden dreame: They will not rise as Elect but reprobate; The Lord will say with hottest indignation against unreformed Carnall Gospellers, Goe yee cursed workers of iniquitie.

  

Sect. 2.

2. SParing Grace is turned into Wantonnesse. It was Gods * complaint of the house of Israel; They despised my judgements, and walked not in my statutes: neverthelesse mine eyes spared them from destroying them, notwithstanding they rebelled against me, and walked not in my statutes. Ezek. 20. 16, 17, 21. I have spread out my hands all the day long unto a rebellious people. Isa. 65. 2. God is angry with the wicked every day. Psal. 7. 11. Sin is an abomination to him. Psal. 53. 1. He can in Martial Law soon arraign, condemne, and execute the sinner. The sword is whet, it is drawn, is near the bold Transgressour, yet it strikes not. Psal. 7. 12. The how is bent, made ready, Psal. 7. 13. The arrow is on the string: The divine strong hand of vengeance could every minute draw it up to the head, let fly, pierce ungodly men through and through, shoot them into hell, yee God spares the sinner, and this is the unworthy and ungratefull return, he spares his sinne, but forsakes it not. Job 20. 13. Is like the Felon that is spared burning and hanging and he grows more insolent and violent in his old wickednesse, like the truantly boy, that is spared whipping and he grows malepart, saucy, lazy, stubborn in his Masters presence. The Lord spares the Lyar, Swearer, Tipler, Whoremonger, Adulterer, Defrauder, Oppressour, that Riots with the bread of deceit. Prov. 20. 17. and the wine of violence. Prov. 4. 17. The subtle, yet foolish Hypocrite, whose craft and wisdome of the flesh is to undoe his soul; and yet these in a frolick dalliance and loosenesse of spirit, wallow in their old wickednesse, and pleasingly dance over * the mouth of Hell. They abuse that Grace which was never offered to the faln Angels. God spared them not (no not a moment) but cast them down to hell. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Justice would spare the sinner not a moment, its free Grace that spares. It is an undoubted gift of God that any man in his wickednesse is spared a minute. How full is the world of daring wantons, that sinne securely before, and against sparing Grace? The interceeding kindnesse of the Lord Jesus is abused: Such as are Gods provoking Rebels, who are spared under the time and means of Gospel grace, are beholding to the prevalent pleadings of Jesus Christ, who hath dayly grants of his Father to spare carnall Gospellers, ad put them to the triall, whether they will repent and be fruitfull in obedience. The vine dresser pleaded for the unfruitfull vineyard, Let it alone this yeare till I shall digg about it and dung it, and if it hear fruit well, and if not then after that thou shalt cut it downe, Luke 13. 8, 9. This Vinedresser (says one) is Iesus Christ the*Son of God, whom he hath Constituted the Priest of his Vineyard: Were it not for the intercession of Christ, barren Vineyards, fruiteless Churches would soon be destroyed. Professed Christian Congregations, Private families, would by the axe of death be cut downe as fit fewell for hell fire.

Sect. 3.

3. LOng-suffering grace is Turned into Wantonness. Because*judgment is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of wicked ones are set in them to doe evil, Eccles. 8. 11. My Lord delays his comming, and then the evil servant is tempted to smite his fellow servant, and to be drunk, &c. Mat. 24. 28, 29. How often would Christ have gathered the Jewes under his saving wings as the Hen the Chicken under hers? Mat. 23. 37. But they proudly rejected subjection to him, salvation from him. God endures with much long suffering Vessels of wrath, and they abusively and foolishly are still fillng up sin and wrath. Rom. 19. 22. The * gracious long-suffering of God waited for the Repentance and Amendment of the disobedient old world. 1. Pet. 3. 20. and yet the holy wooing Spirit of God, speaking by Noah, solliciting and striving in gracious motions to reformation, was rejected. Gen. 6. 3. The whole earth was corrupt and filled with violence. v. 11. I gave Iezabel space to repent of her fornication and she repented not, Rev. 2. 21. As a Creditor gives his Debtor long time to pay his debts, and yet forbearing kindnes is abused, by a profuse lavishing intemperate life and running more in debt; and as a gracious Kings act of favour, that gives a Condemned Traytor, a long time to sue out a pardon, is slighted and despised, when he spends it in whoring, drinking and gaming; so the mercyfull and liberall allowances of large seasons of grace, the Lord grants out to deeply debted and Treasonable sinners, are signally wronged; when the more mercy forbeares, and God is slow to wrath, the more sin abounds. Ah daring folly! is there not difference between Long suffering and Eternall suffering? are there not many sad monuments of divine justice? because Patience is lasting, will it be everlasting? Long accounts are at length stated. The longest summer day of Gods sufferance will have an end, and goe downe in an endles night of unappeased fury. Provoking, slight gospellers are every day hastning to the period of Gods reprieves. Writts of execution will be opened and served upon incorrigible sinners, the worse for mercys warnings, and Judgments delay. The Lord Christ his pleading that barren Figg-trees may stand a yeere, or yeeres longer, neither * speaks him the Patron of uncurable wickednes, not assures their perpetuall security, they were at length cut down as withered trees, and God will likewise cut down withered Professors: God doth not always spare barren trees in his vineyard. Those Christians that are the shame of Gods Husbandry; The abusers of Christs Intercession; The contemners of the Gospel they boast of, that bear the name of Believers, bear up in the repute of Christs domestick Family, that cumber the ground where they stand; useless to the purposes of holiness and righteousness in the World, as dead, twice dead, at best but flourishing in the leaves of a worthless profession, shall at length be pluckt up by the roots, be cast into hell fire, as the worst of men; reproachers of God and his Gospel; destroyers of their bodies and souls for ever. The Devil the Father of lies, keeps his children fast bound in the chains of destroying lies. Amongst the rest this is a main one, and a common damning cheat: Poor deluded sinners, that have numbred 40, 50 years forbearance in their sins, at once collect Gods allowance of them and their own * Innocence, but without Book. After 400 years suffering the seed of the Amorites to oppress Gods Israel, Gen. 15. 13. black doomday put a period to their Prosperities and Persecutions: A long lived Libertine under the days of Grace, hath more reason to fear his approaching destruction then salvation. The Counsel of an ancient is wholsome, well were it if accustomed slighters of Gods grace would lay it to heart, it would fire them out of their perilous security: It is necessary, said he, that we fear and tremble, lest the prolonged times of Gods mercy do prove the times of our damnation: It is the lamentation of a serious modern Writer: The longer we live, the more numerous is the account, and the more heavy the weight of sin: Hence when the just Judge comes he will   turn the indulged times of mercy into an eternity of wrath and penalty.

SECT. 4.

4. THe whole time of Grace is turned into Wantonnesse; * not onely sparing and long-suffering Grace, but all the daies of Grace, even to their late dying periods are also abused. Backsliding is perpetuall. The most under Gospel times refuse to return, Ier. 8. 5. The Lord questions in his Word, O Ierusalem, how long shall vain thoughts lodge in thee? Jer. 4. 14. Wilt thou not he made clean? when shall it once be? c. 13. 27. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning? and fools hate knowledge? Prov. 1. 22. How long? The answer is not more sad then true; for ever. Should the loose persons of unconverted hearts, and unreformed lives, not bettered under a threescore years convincing and awakening Ministry, and the frequent woings of the Holy Ghost be left to themselves, should they live an eternity on earth, they would still wrong the grace of God. There is a Countrey phrase, To while away the time: O how many do while away precious time? most do the works of darkness, while Gospel light shines round about them, yea in their mindes, they cannot deny, and yet they defame the glory of it. While Christ knocks at the doors of their souls for entrance, the Divel is bid welcome; while the Spirit crys, Repent, repent, the flesh wallows in the pollutions of the World; while he passionatly solicits and perswades to accept of salvation upon salvations tearms, the pathes of damnation are still troden in: The hardened house of Israel will die: While God is tendred as an everlasting portion, the world is violently pursued; while the pilgrimage delights of the spirit, and the Heavenly Countrey Pleasures of Gods right hand, are held forth to unregenerate mindes: foolish souls hunt after the pleasures of sin, and vanishing Creature delights: While precious seasons to sue out a pardon are granted out for sins past, more Treasons and Rebellions are heaped up against God: while this vanishing life is proposed as a probation for Eternity, lying vanities are skilfully and uncessantly pursued.

Five things will load this ause.

1. Time, one of the most precious things in the world, is abused: *Nothing, says Bernard, is more precious then it, and alass nothing now a days is more slighted and vilified: It is made the numbring measure of unholy and unrighteous motions, but very rarely of heavenly conversation; the thriving opportunity of Satans Kingdom, but rarely (as to the multitude) of Christs: The preciousness of time, industriously heavenly, as well as earthly merchants will tell you: The worth of time an enraging afflicted Conscience on a death bed will tell you, that breathed out lamentable crys, Call time again, call time again: The excellency * of time most awakened loose departing souls will tell you, who will abound in fervent wishes to admiration, that they might redeem but one hour to repent. The dignity of time, the damned in hell, were they among us, would tell us, That had they a world, they would give it to escape their torments they feel and shall endure for ever, and to be in a state of Grace, of Salvation. The glory of time, the glorified in heaven would tell us, were they suffered to acquaint us with their unspeakable Joys: Eternity it self will be little enough to bless God they have not lost their time, but obtained salvation in the days of Grace. It will ravish their hearts, when as one phraseth it, they shall think within themselves, O blessed moment of Grace! O happy days of Conversion! O choicely spent time in holy mournings * and obedience! O rarely improved time to be the shining witnesses of God against the wicked world! O Heavenlized time in communion with God, that contemned the world! O * the wise use of time, that hath laid up treasures in Heaven, and fitted espoused souls for the joyous eternal imbracements of their heavenly Bridegroom.
2. The possibilities of escaping eternal misery and obtaining everlasting life, are abused, when the whole provisional space of preventing the wrath to come, of preparing for glory, in the foolish pursuit of the worlds shadows is lost; when loose Prodigals of the time of Grace are impossibilitated to have a moment more. What shame and grief will surprise them, when they shall consider their secure neglect of the Jewel of time, and the force of Eternity; prevailing thoughts (when set home on the conscience) to make the profuse lavishers of the golden seasons of Grace, the most thrifty Husbands: How stinging will this sad conviction be, if the opportune time of Grace were well managed, they might have escaped that bitter, horrible and lamentable Eternity wherein they are plunged, and safely arrive to the Port of everlasting rest? These things were once possible, now they are not. O sinners fear and tremble, your sporting with sin, your indignities and injuries put upon the grace of God, doth exceedingly slight and despise your saving possibilities! while the mouth of the bottomless pit is not shut upon you, do no more disparage, but honor your Gospel-seasons of Grace; if you crucifie the Son of God, and still despise the Spirit of Grace, either laugh at, or delay the necessary change of your hearts and lives, be assured, the next minute after your death, you shall see a dreadful, fixed, unalterable gulf before your eyes, that as the Saints in glory cannot come to your Hell, so it will appear everlastingly impossible for you to come to their Heaven.
3. The remembrance of lost time, will be an eternal corrosive * to the tortured awakned Spirit, and torment the wounded Conscience like fire; when time-loosers shall call to minde, That they had a time to be converted, but now they are hardned; had a season to come to Christ their ark, but now they are drowned in an eternal fiery lake: They had opportunity to weep heavenly Gospel-tears, and now they eternally weep hellish legal tears, under the fear and hate of their angry Judge, and the intollerable smart of endless avenging Punishment: They had leasure to store up Grace against the day of Mercy, but now they see throughout the whole neglected time of Grace, they have treasured up sin against the day of wrath: They had a long while Divine patient woings, authoritative commandings, dreadful threatnings, melting beseechings to be reconciled to God, and reformed; but now penal Justice, and their own Wickedness, hath sealed them up under the power of sin. In brief, they had a sweet and fair day of mercy, to finde favor with God through Jesus Christ; but now it is gone down in a tempestuous night of endless and unappeasable fury.
4. It will not be the least part of Hells Torments, that hopeless, * helpless Spirits, shall be tortured with fruitless wishes, that they had not lost the unvaluable advantages of their saving opportunities; When they shall mourn, and say, How have we hated instruction, how have our hearts despised reproof, and have not obeyed the voice of our teachers, nor inclined our ears to our instructers? Prov. 5. 11, 12, 13. Every unprofitable wish that the time had been redeemed in this world, will be as a renewed bloody lash, on exulcerated wounded tender bodies: O unwise children of men, that riot in the liberal indulgences to your flesh, even in the noon-time of cleer Gospel-light! Take a serious view of these impertinent and afflictive wishes in the other world: O that God would grant one day of Grace more! O that I were to live over my time again, how would I look upon the flesh displeasing, sharpest severities of repentance, as favors! O that I had kneeled on flints, and wept mine eyes out in strong cries and tears for a pardon! O that I had given my Goods to the poor! O that I had changed the delights of the flesh, for the pleasures of the Spirit, that I had been filled with the Spirit, when I was drunk with Wine! Ephes. 5. 18. O that I had watched over my loose heart day and night! O that I had fasted and prayed whole days and nights! O that affliction had driven me to Christ, that I had rather gone through dirty Lanes to an heavenly Fathers House, than through pleasant Meadows to a Prison, and a place of Execution! O that a godly sorrowing life had ended in joy! Psal. 126. 5. And that a carnal voluptuous life, had not ended in eternal sorrows! Jam. 5. 1, 5. Have you seen Bankrupts, that from the published Statutes of Execution, have their Goods seized on, and their persons Imprisoned, wringing their hands, beating their heads, bedewing their cheeks, breaking their hearts, with these words? O that I had been a good Husband, that I had hearkned unto my friends, avoided undoing-Company, kept my Shop, improved my time, I had never come to this; but I am undone, I am undone: Have you seen a condemned Felon that must have no Psalm of Mercy, suddenly screek and roar out in the Assises, and swoon in the torturing fear and assurance of death, when the Judge tells him there is no mercy for him; this also adding to his woe: O that I had taken the counsel of my dear friends, that I were to live over my youth and man-hood! O that I had not lost my time of Grace! O that I had kept the Sabbath better! O that I had not rebelled against my dear Parents, and despised good men, and godly Ministers! Think then what is and will be the woe of lost souls in the other   life, racking their Spirits with fruitless wishes, that they had not lavished away the time of Grace.
5. Wasters of the time of Grace, out-sin the very Devils of * Hell: They never had a year, day, or minutes time of repentance and pardon: The next moment of their Transgression, was a damning moment to endless and remediless punishment: In this respect the Devils will load carnal Gospellers, playing the wantons with the seasons of Grace, and rejoyce in their society in destruction, with this kinde of triumph, Glad we are in your fellowship of damnation: Is it just we are cast into Hell? your company with us in torments is more just: You have outsinned us, we were never guilty of such an affront to the Grace of God, merits of Christ, seasons of Grace as you are: The Son of God assumed not our nature, undertook not our redemption, interceded not with his Father to give us scores of years space of repentance, ten years, a year, a day, a minute: He took your nature, died for you, pleads you may have the precious saving seasons of Grace, your abuse of the Gospel, mis-spending the space of repentance, is superlative guilt, of a deeper die then our transgression: How sad a thing is it that loose Gospellers, that fill up their time with secret or open wickedness, or both, should out-sin the very Devils: O friends! did Christ speak it with passionate tears, concerning self-undoing Jerusalem, Hadst thou known in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace, but now they are hidden from thee, Luke 19. 42. How ought you to weep over your turning the time of Grace into wantonness? Ah foolish sinners, that waste your inestimable opportunities of getting Christ and Grace, walking exactly, dying to sin, that you may not eternally die in it, and for it; honoring God in your Generation, obtaining your souls Salvation, laying up treasure in Heaven, preparing for blessed Eternity; if you bewail not this in hearty Compunction, bitter Tears; if the sense of being Spend-thrifts of most precious time, make you not ashamed before the Lord, know it, and believe, you shall in the next life look over your ungrateful neglects, with unutterable mournings, and eternal tears.

  

SECT. 5.

5. THe calling inviting offers of Grace are turned into wantonness: * The great things of the Kingdom of Heaven were rendred to the Inhabitants of Chorazin and Bethsaida, and to the Capernaites, but they gave still wanton indulgences to their lusts, repented not, and this in the judgement of our Lord Christ, should double their woe, aggravate their rejecting the way of salvation, and plunge them deeper in Hell, Luke 10. 15. because Heaven on Gospel-tearms was offered and refused: Be sure of this, the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you, ver. 11. As if Christ had said, You had inestimable gracious proffers, but you have cast them off to your damnation. The like Grace of the Kingdom of Heaven was held forth to the Jews in Pauls Preaching, but they answered it with contradicting and blaspheming the Gospel, Acts 13. 45. Thus in too many Congregations in England, where Heaven hath been clearly opened in the saving mysteries of salvation, which might even ravish the hearts of humble intelligent and believing hearers, what wanton eyes, gestures, ears, fancies, hearts, are brought before the publick glorious discoveries of the precious methods to be holy and happy to all eternity? with what levity, loosness, frothy spirits, you have seen the slaves of carnal voluptuousness, merry wantons, designed and resolved for their pleasing sensualities, come from Stage-plays; without breach of charity, huge members of Gospel-wantons, have in like manner come from the sacred, grave trembling Truths of the Gospel: How sad is it that those, not onely Law, but Evangelical severities, that should have set eminent sinners on trembling, mourning, weeping, and resolving to repent, (the best applause of a Sermon) should have * no better close, then prophane, profuse gigling and laughing, it may be sporting at the Minister and his Doctrine, slighting what they heard, driving it out by idle talk, vain worldly discourses, or speaking of nothing to soul advantage, carrying in uncivil and unholy carnal merriments, as if they had been in a Theater, not the Church, and had heard a Stage-Player, and not a Preacher. Do Princes and States well resent the slighting and abusing of their gracious offers? surely the heavenly everlasting King, nor will, nor can put up the despisings of his gracious invitations, with everlasting patience and indempnity. It is a matter of Lamentation, that many faithful and painful friends of the Bridegroom have offered Espousals of highest profits, pleasures, preferments in Jesus Christ, to Blackamore, deformed, worthless, loveless souls, and yet they had rather match with Hell then Heaven, rather have the Prince of Darkness, than the Lord of Glory to be their head; though there be infinite more drawing incouragements for Espousals with Christ, than covenanting with the Devil: Let not the Phrase seem harsh, There is truth in it: Though few, like Witches, resign themselves up to Satan by an express contract, yet most do by an implicite and interpretative consent: Is he not the spirit that rules in the children of disobedience? Eph. 2. 2. Is he not called from his destructive Soveraign Government in the World, the god of this World? 2 Cor. 4. 4. who hath the Harvest of Service, when the Lord Jesus hath but the Gleanings: Is he not called the Ruler of the darkness of this World? Ephes. 6. 12. that Infernal Jaylor, that keeps his numerous Captives in the dark Dungeon of Ignorance and Wickedness; yea, Do not his miserable Subjects love to have it so? Jer. 5. 31. O you Inhabitants of England, that own the Christian name, and that from year to year, from one passionate woing to another, have still turned your backs upon Angels joys and admirations, the Mysteries and Miracles of Gospel Salvation; be convinced of your perilous, dishonorable, loose refusals: Are you wont to deal with necessitous Temporals, as you do with Spirituals and Eternals? Will not catching presented worldly advantages and opportunities by the foretop, condemn your soul-undoing delays of welcoming Heavenly calls, which hearkned too, will make you, (I say not men) in the Worlds Phrase, but Saints and Angels, fellows in glory to all Eternity? offer a pardon to a condemned person, on exceeding hard tearms, and what Felon almost will reject it? But the offers of Gospel Pardons, to sinners dead in Law, the Covenant of Works, upon sweet, easie, rational, honorable, and profitable tearms, who almost will entertain them? Offer Gold and Silver to needy Beggars, when is this proposal refused? But Christ, the Pearl of great price, is offered to poor sinners that have not a dram of Grace, and the Tenth Christian in external profession, that bears much upon Baptismal Grace, giveth no demonstration   of acceptance. Let a Physitian offer his best skill without a see to the mortally diseased, with a promise also to pay for his Physick, what patient, unlesse unsensible of his danger, and frantick will despise this kindnesse? Christ, the Almighty Soveraign Physitian offers the recovering virtue of his Spirit, Grace, Ordinances, Afflictions, to mortally diseased sinners, without a fee or reward, yea hath already payd dear for the Physick, and its successefull application; who then but self-destroying, frantick sinners, senslesse in a deep Lethargy of carnall security, had rather perish in their sin, than accept of the guiding orders of Christs healing? If you say this censure is over-rigid, pitty he should live that doth not take the gracious invitations of Jesus Christ into his heart. We willingly own his loving calls to grace and glory. It is not so soon done as said. You may lodge the glorious tenders of the Gospel in your fancies, understandings, memories, yea seem to honour them with your lips, and yet your hearts may be very farre from subscribing and saying Amen to them; as an Adulterous womans lips may consent to Mariage Articles, professe and confirme Matrimonial union, when her heart was never Married. Oh Sirs! that have shut your hearts against the proffers of Grace in many a Chapter, Sermon, motion of the Spirit, me-thinkes your spirits should bee astonished, and hearts broken, by the serious consideration of seven things.
6. You and Sathan your Father are fellow lyars: You put a * great lye upon the report of Gods grace. The Bible lifts it up above the world, and you almost set it below any pleasing worldly vanities. It is more precious than Gold and Silver, its merchandize is better than the merchandize of Silver, Prov. 3. 14. so 15. v. It is above all things you desire, and yet you desire other things above it. Though your tongues would blush to say, yet the frame of your rebellious, grace-refusing hearts and lives, really speak it in the notice of the infinitely understanding God, the Gospel is folly, 1 Cor. 1. 23. the power and practice of Religion is a vain thing, Mal. 3. 14. and the Grace of God is not worth the looking after. You live before God, Angels, and Men, as if your tongues should say, Solomon was deceived, when he so cried up gracious wisdome. Beauties are the pleasures of the Senses, Riches out-worth it, the Honour of the world outshines it; the glorious applause of men out-goes its commendations; the short enjoyment of the flesh exceeds its eternall treasures; a short lease of this lifes comforts, is better than its eternall Fee-simple of delights.
7. You abuse Gods condescension in the offer of grace. Was * there any need for God to stoope to offer you a Covenant of Salvation, wherein the whole Trinity doth humble themselves? The Father, so much as to have thoughts of grace to relieve and succour lost sinners; the Son that humbled himself to an obscuring incarnation, a life of sorrows, spotlesse obedience, a bloudy death the price of Redemption. The Holy Ghost to come into vile sinners, to plead the acceptance, and improvement of the Father and Sons love. O inconsiderate sinners! of what a scarlet tincture is your unworthy slighting of the Trinities kindness, your treading under foot the blessed Gods acts of grace! might he not have left you as the fall of Adam made you to be, in a lost, polluted, helplesse, and damnable estate? Doth hee need your persons recovery, services, holynesse, and happinesse? Doth goodnesse in accepting Christ and his Gospel extend to him? Is it his profit if you accept? Is it his hurt if you despise him? Psal. 16. 2. Job. 22. 3. & 35. 6, 8. Hath he humbled himself to enter into peace with you, when he might have proclaimed and maintained everlasting War? Will a King bear it, that his descending below himself to save obstinate Traytors, should be despised? Surely the blessed God will not alwaies beare the insolent refusall of his mercifull condescensions, who every minute could confound rebellious sinners.
8. You abuse the infinite purchase of that grace that is offered. * Now Christ hath by his active and passive obedience satisfied Justice, and dearly payd for pardoning and purging grace; He sits at Gods right hand to give unto Israel repentance and remission of sinnes, Acts 5. 31. to offer it in common to the worst of sinners, hath made an healing plaister of his blood. Isa. 53. 5. and offers the application of it to diseased sinners; what else but a spiritual madnesse is it to cry out, we will have none of the physick; away with this mortifying Grace, severities of repentance? If we submit to unpleasing medicines of strict Gospell prescription, we must never have merry dayes, our deare lusts must be pinion’d and starved; such adoe about Religion, the new creatures, that precise Puritans talk of will make our lives miserable: We will not have this man to reign over us, Luk. 19. 14. Take Christ who will, we have made, and we will keep our covenant with the world and the flesh; we will have our ease and delights, come what will of it. Jer. 7. 9. Loose hearts and lives speak these sad things, this deplorable injury to the Lord Jesus: He is highly affronted, that the price of grace, the purchase of infinite redemption should be so unworthyly vilified.
9. You abuse the heavenly messenger of Grace, the Holy Ghost, who proceeds from the Father and the Sonne, and comes * with sweetest intelligence of Peace, Pardon, Purity, and Glory. The heavenly Spirits whispers would be powerfully taking, if vile sinners, their false loves, and cursed lusts did not oppose them. Hath not the Spirit told many of us, a gracious conversation is incomparably better than a carnal, and that there is to be found a more high, noble, pleasurable, satisfying, and gainfull life in Jesus Christ, than the world, flesh, and devill can possibly afford? Have not these inward speakings, according with the outward written word, the just standard, awakened the soul, that Sobriety, Chastity, Charity, Liberality, Faith, Love, Heavenlymindednesse, a fear of God, a tender Conscience, redeeming time, &c. are rather to be chosen than their contrary vices and corrupt inclinations and affections that resist them? Have not many by the woings and strivings of the Holy Ghost, with Agrippa, not onely been almost perswaded to be reall Christians, but often promised God their utmost, and zealous endeavours for a through change? But what is the issue? a wanton loose spirit hath banished former serious gravity: These warm, heavenly motions are soon coold and dead, by the world and the fleshes cold pourings in. How ill doth the holy and delicate Spirit take it, soon sensible of affronts, that his gracious inspirations, should either coldly be received, or positively rejected, or after entertainment be ungratefully forsaken? The Spirits goads that prick and stir up lazy sleeping consciences, are quickly blented. O our unkind abuse of the good Spirit. Those*divine instincts wherewith we are excited and moved to holynesse of life and Gospell obedience, either we take no notice of them, or we dissemble them, or we put them off to another time, or, which is worst of all, we totally neglect them, sayth an holy writer. This, O this is the spirits punishment, not more dreadfull than disregarded, the heavenly messenger bids an eternall welfare, and never knocks again at those rebellious houses, where he hath been never bid welcome, but constantly refused. My spirit shall not always strive with flesh. Gen. 6. is a plague, a fearfully avenging one. Resolved Libertines will not follow the wisdome, and saveing guidance of the spirit, and the Lord chuseth their delusions. Isa. 66. 4. What safe Leader they will not have, they shall not have; they will wander from the way to heaven; divine power now shall not stop them, they shall dye without instruction, and in the greatness of their folly they shall go astray, Prov. 5. 23. Then those eyes deep securitie hath shut, wrath will open, either in a death-bed despaire, or in hels flames after death. O unkind Spirit greevers and resisters, lay it to heart before it is too late. *It is an eminent danger to oppose Divine inspirations.
10. You abuse the faithly messengers of grace, the Ministers of the Gospell. Their worke is in the authoritie of their Master Jesus Christ to exhort and enjoyne you to beleeve, and repent, and if this prevaile not, to beseech you in Christs stead to be reconciled 2. Cor. 5. and if this mild course speed not, but gospell grace is put away, as it was by the hardned Jews. Act. 13. 46. Their other sad part of their Commission, is to tell them, He that beleeveth not shall be damned. Mark. 16. 16. and that very gospell grace that to others is a savour of life unto life, embraced, will be to them a savour of death unto death, when it is despised. As the Hanunites that cut of Davids Messengers garments had a warr Commenced against them, for answering their kind errands with such shamefull indignities, 2 Sam. 10. 3, 4. 7. so the angry King of heaven, will wage an eternall warre against them that unnaturally abuse the messengers, and messages of grace. O Take warning Loose-livers under the convictions of Gospel strictness, that when you hear & read of the saving overtures of the word of life, you may no more be as slighty & sensless under them, as the Pues you sit in, and as walls, and rocks. The despising of wholsome heavenly instructions, no lesse then the despising of the Lord Jesus Luk. 10. 16, is that which makes honest godly Ministers, to set down with mourning and tears in their closer addresses to God, that their hearers will not be converted, saved, and have eternal life. Act. 13. 46. and Phil. 3. 8.
11. You will be unexcusable, when you shall see the offers * and hopes of Grace, at an everlasting distance from you: How will paleness sit on your faces, when you are before a dreadful Bar? what trembling will surprise your hearts, when conscience shall terribly inform you, that the Lords Messengers, in earnest desires and longings for your happiness, in zeal, love, and tears offered you for Christs sake, to embrace the Heavenly Treasures of the saving Covenant, and you would not; or soon stifled your Convictions, lost your good resolutions and affections; you secured the world, and that great Idol flesh pleasing, but not Eternity; you can easily slight, it may be jeer the Minister, but remember you will be enforced to call to minde his passionate woings for Jesus; and that your blood would be upon you, that you would be your own destroyers, if you disallowed and abhorred Christ, if you knew not God, and obeyed not his Gospel. At such and such times in hearing and reading the Word, in heart-searching godly Books, the Spirit of Jesus held forth before you a Feasable, Justified, Adopted, Sanctified and Glorified Estate, and you liked not Christs conditions to fit you for and obtain Eternal Glory: How have you abused Christ and his Gospel-Ministry, when you were told his yoke was easie, by Divine Power? Did not you look upon the Preacher, exhorting the duties of Religion, as a proposer of intolerable and too severe tasks? as if the glorious patern of Wisdom, Righteousness, and Sweetness, should tyrannize over men, and bid men be his servants to their loss, and the Devil and the World could make more gainful, honorable and comfortable bargains.
12. You shall have no cause to blame the pure Justice of the * angry Lamb, the Judge of the World, if when you shall cry Lord, Lord, he be as deaf at your dreadful crys, as you were at his calls; if he know you not to save you, when you knew him not to serve him: This will justifie the direful last Sentence, Go ye cursed, and clear your eternal stripes from cruelty, when you have wilfully abused the infinite love of the Son of God: Grace was offered you, but you would not be healed, nor reformed; you have destroyed your selves: ‘Tis Divine Justice that the wickedness of the wicked in due penalty should be upon him, Ezek. 18. 20. Wicked Gospellers, even put fury into a gracious God, and necessitate him to gain the reputation of his Holiness out of their damnation: It becomes the natural Justice of his Majesty, to be the Avenger, who is not the Author of wilful unbelief: The holy One of Israel is provoked, Isa. 1. 4. The holiness of God is read in the Characters of those Temporal, Spiritual, and Eternal Judgements, which he executes on the impenitent World. Its just the heaviest of punishments should be the vindications of Gods Dishonors by the affronts of his Grace, upon a threefold account.
13. The ungrateful and voluntary high indignities, that vain * loose hearts and lives put upon Gods Grace. Wisdom hath sent out her maidens, to invite sinners to be Saints, Prov. 9. 3, 4. and sit down at its heavenly Table, v. 5. of all sufficient, satisfying, saving provisions, comes with Perswasions, Comminations, Admonitions, to accept the Call, but the loose guests either come not at all, or unprepared, surfeit on good food, turn it into ill humors: The offended King of Heaven hath sent out his Heralds of Arms, to proclaim Peace and Mercy on most righteous tearms; but stout rebels will not resign up their hearts to Christ, but keep them strongly garrison’d for Lust and the Devil; and this is the success the Calls of Gods Grace meet withal: Satan and Christ knock at the soul for entrance: It is opened to Satan, and locked to Christ: Shall obstinate, unprofitable hearers blame God under their everlasting smart, when they have not so much despised their Ministers as Jesus Christ? Shall loose unreformed Children, that despised their godly wooing and warning Parents, cry out of unjustice under eternal wrath; when they did not so much abuse their holy Invitations, as Gods? It was his*spirit that made by Religious Fathers and Mothers, gracious proffers to gainsaying Children: Conscience will give in testimony on Gods side, that he graciously called froward, wilful sinners, that they might be pardoned, not abide under condemnation; they * might be Saints, not remain sinners; they might be free, not continue Captives; obtain a blessing, not lie under the curse, and be saved, in mortifying the deeds of the Body, and not be ruined by cruel mercy and Indulgences to corrupt nature, the worst of enemies.
14. The bold abuses of heavenly inviting offers, though God * hath complained of this long before in his holy Word, and urged such injurious dealing, as a most just Apology of his severest vengeance: I have called, and ye refused: I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, Prov. 1. 4. Therefore when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction as a whirl-wind, when distress and anguish cometh upon you, (I will be even with you) you shall call upon me, but I will not answer; seek me, but not finde me, v. 27, 28. All the day long have I stretched out mine hand to again-saying people, Isa. 62. 5. Therefore the Lord Christ threatned these unbelieving Jews, that the Christ, and the Grace they rejected, should be offered to better entertainers: He would have a Church among the Gentiles, the Kingdom of God should be taken from them, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof, Matth. 21. 42, 43. I said you shall die in your sins, for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins, John 8. 24. He that believes not in the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him, Iohn 3. 36. How justly do the Wrongings of Gods grace bring endless misery, when the Lord hath often complained of it before hand in the Scriptures, cautioned us to fear and tremble, lest we forsake our own mercies, Jonah 2. 8. Threatning this abuse with eternal death?
15. The Lord hath already acquainted us in his Word, that if * like the guests in the Parable, we either finde excuses not to come and feed on Christs heavenly dainties, Luke 14. 18. or we be unprepared, wanton, loose guests, and come not to his Feast with the Wedding Garment, (i. e. Faith in Christ) with the whole train of Graces, but in the deformed rags and pollutions of our sins; I say, if we be like those that either openly and positively reject his offered Grace, or like those wanton abusers of Gods grace, in the Apostle Jude; tread in their steps, and die in this Libertinism, as a Woe is denounced unto them, Jude Ep. v. 11. under condemnation, v. 4. to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever, v. 13. So if we be fellow-wanton Gospellers with them, we shall follow them in their everlasting misery. He is deservedly hanged that seeth a Felon die before, and yet greedily pursues his wicked courses. We are told Sodomites, Apostate Angels, Abusers of Gospel-grace, are already in Hell: If the examples of their torments make us not to abhor and eschew their sinnes, divine justice wrongs us not in our everlasting destruction, whom should self-destroyers blame but themselues? I have been the longer in this Section, because of the mighty importance of the matter, the common, wofull, lamentable, damnable refusall of Gospel gracious calls, and invitations to everlasting happinesse, unchristianly, prophanely, dishonourably abused.

SECT. 6.

6. THe means of Grace is turned into Wantonnesse. This sad * experience I shall give out in three things; shewing When the means of grace are abused; The evil of that abuse; and What means of grace are abused.
7. When are the means of grace abused? They are so, 1. when they are set higher than they are. Means are made Mediators, set in the room of Christ, when an equall, yea a superiour confidence is put in Instrumental institutions. The hand and the courage of the Warriour is disparaged, when the Sword is set up above him, and there be more confidence in a dead instrument than in a living agent. The Word, the Sword of the Spirit, is dead and successelesse out of the strong and living hand of the Spirit. It is a double and common wrong, both to the means of grace, and to Christ, when Christ is not eyed, sought to, admired, trusted in by the means: The error not onely of ignorant, prophane Christians, that trust in a bare Baptism, and a following of their Church to save them; but most real Christians, some whereof more admire their Preachers than Jesus Christ; more look after an impotent man with all the glory of his gifts, than the power, and the transcendently eminent endowments of the Lord Jesus. The Apostle Paul taught a better lesson, who although he planted and watered Churches, with miraculous successe, owned his own nothingness, 2 Cor. 12. 11. abhorred the thoughts of self-sufficiency, 2 Cor. 3. 5. was jealous of robbing Christ of his glory, gave him the honour of his grace and power, that he was used as the exalted and blessed instrument to convert multitudes of sinners, and save their soules. Rom. 15. 18, 19. *
8. When they are set lower than they are. Then they are so when they are accounted as uselesse needlesse things, as if heaven could be got without them, grace might be had and kept, though the means disused. Nothing is more clear than that in ordinary dispensation (extraordinaries not being our rule) God hath confined grace and salvation to the use of means. Knowledge, Joh. 17. 3. The Gospel preached, Rom. 1. 13. Baptism, 1 Pet. 3. 21. Prayer, Ro. 10. 13. The education of godly family guides, Gen. 18. 19. Excommunications, 1 Cor. 5. 5. The holy counsels and examples of Husbands and Wives one to another, 1 Cor. 7. 16. The means of grace to the reproach of the God of grace, are exceedingly undervalued, when the sottish and conceited generation, that live without Ordinances, hold there is no dependance at all on holynesse and eternal happinesse upon Gods instituted means. They are also set lower than they are, when encumbred, with Martha, about needlesse things, in the brood of earthly cares and employments, neglect their attendances on heavenly means, and make their affaires below excuses (as too many doe, to the dishonour of their regenerate part, just as studious worldlings) to put by heavenly exercises in the Worship of God.
9. When they are contradicted, and blasphemed, as Paul’s * preaching was by the Jews, true Prayer by the Spirit, by unspiritual, gracelesse Atheists, that revile godly care of holy houshold guides, to keep their children and servants in the knowledge, fear, and love of God, whose pious endeavours to save the soules of their families, condemning their wicked neighbours irreligion, is the occasion, but not the cause, of their blaspheming their Prayers, singing of Psalmes, strict keeping of the Sabboth, and week dayes, holy and righteous conversation; when the holy and heavenly institutions of the Lord Jesus are the markes at which sonnes and daughters of Belial shoot the arrows of their bitter words, the meanes of grace are eminently abused.
10. When they are judged, and rested in as the onely evidences of grace. The more ignorant, carnall, morall, hypocriticall * sort of Christians have no better arguments that they are in the state of grace than this, they have the means of grace. It is an irrational conclusion, A patient hath good physick, therefore he shall recover; a dunce hath good books, and a good tutor, therefore he will be a scholar; a great Army is well furnished for war, therefore it shall overcome: The battel is not to the strong, Eccles. 9. 11. As unscripturall an inference it is, The means of grace are enjoyed, therefore the grace of the means is obtained. Capernaum was lifted up to heaven in means, and yet cast to hell. Mat. 11. 23. Ordinances doe not confer grace, as fire doth heat, by their natural vertue; but as the Lord Christ healed the sick by supernaturall. Grace is not in the means as causes, but by them as instruments. Should many men have no use of the means to plead for their spirituall estate, there would be nothing to speak them really Christian, but they would be left as naked heathens. It is not the having, but the saving using of means that will stand by us.
11. When they are made shelters of sin, as dens are for Lyons, * cloaths are for bodies. The Sacrifices and Temple were not to be a Sanctuary of Murder, Adultery, False swearing, Idolatry. Jer. 7. 9, 10. Nor were the Pharisees to make long prayers, to cloak the devouring of widdows houses, Luk. 20. 47. The Harlots beginning with Gods services were poor fig leaves to cover her uncleannesse. Prov. 7. 14. Prayers in the morning, and evening, cold and barren, cannot palliate the licentious wickednesse that is between them. They may now quiet and stop the mouth of Conscience, they cannot in the other world. It is the high dishonour of the meanes of grace, when they are but names, not powers; when in attendances on them, there is but the colour, not the heat of Christianity. A painted, gilded Christian abuseth the Ordinances, when he is dead under them hath no life, nor heat by them; he borrows from them a Sheeps-skin, when he is but a goat; when it is seen that heavenly meanes mend not hellish hearts and lives, the seeming is Saint-like, but the conversation Devillish. This undoes two soules at once; The sin shrowding pretender to Religion, and the prophane blasphemer of the means of Grace. Both of them perish as mock-gods; the one because hee hath hypocritically used the meanes; the other, because he hath blasphemously railed at the means.
12. When they are used in vain; when there is no health by * Gods physick, no conversion and reformation by Gods Word. In the course of the Ministry there is cunning and labouring in vain. The heavenly frequent fiegers of the Ordinances are raised from the Devils garrisons re infecta, Sathans strong holds are kept undemolished. 2 Cor. The reall kingdome of Sathan is in the appearing kingdom of Christ. Under Gospel-ordinances men are worse and worse; this is a prophane disparagement to the Ordinances of Christ; an unpleasing spectacle to the holy God and his Angels, the Spirits grief, aggravation of sin, and treasuring up of wrath.
13. When they are totally neglected. Not onely one, but all * the means of life and salvation are carelesly slighted, unworthily vilified, as if God, Christ, the Spirit, Grace, Heaven, Hell, were not worth the thinking of, such contempt is cast on the golden cisterns of Grace. There are too many who proclaime their opposition to the God of Heaven, and the method of salvation, who are so far from the power, that they abhorre the very form of godlynesse, so little care for service to Christ, that they detest the badges of his government. These constantly prophane the Sabboth, are never found on their knees seeking God; hear no Sermons from year to year; care not for Sacraments; have no good family education; are hardened by their afflictions; deride holy examples; these are in Sathans full possession, take the liberty of the times to be ignorant, and as to the Ordinances of Christ, quiet and resolved Libertines. Be you intreated, that have seen the power, and beauty, and glory of God in his Sanctuary, and that have had the waters of life running into your thirsty soules through the precious pipes of divine Ordinances, that really value them above the world, stir up those compassionate bowels, that the divine nature hath begotten in you, and if your counsels to Christianize these Heathens will not prevaile, pray and weep them into possibilities of salvation, by attendance on the means of grace.

Secondly: The Evil of abusing the means of Grace, laid to heart, might be some remedy to sin.

1. This is a wrong to God that appointed them. Man cannot bear the violation of his houshold orders, and will God bear it? if so the Laws of his family should be contemned.
2. They wrong the Spirit that acts in them, either by turning their backs upon him, when he usually affords his presence in Gods wayes, or by resisting his gracious impulses, his sweet whispers, his terrible representations of an accursed lost sinner out of Christ, Acts 7. 51. Either they will not hear his inspeakings, or disregard them, both despise the Spirit of Grace.
3. They please the Devil, who hath either way gracelesse soules in his possession, either by not using the means at all, or in vain. Such abusers of saving means, are an unpleasing spectacle to the holy Angels, enemies to God, grieve the Spirit, and are the Devils triumph. Consider,

Thirdly: What are those means of grace that are turned into wantonnesse? They are,

1. The holy Scriptures. In them alone eternal life is to be*found, Joh. 5. 39. They are stiled, the word of Grace. Act. 20. 32. Their abuse is in their disuse, when either they that may have Bibles, have none, or if they have them, they suffer them to contract dust on their shelves, laying them by as useless, are seldome, or never read; or in their ill use when they are read, without reverence, diligence, observance, or any resolves, or good desires and affections to follow the teachings of the Spirit without understanding, esteem, remembrance, laying up, and laying out these heavenly treasures in righteousnesse and holynesse. Again, in their ill use, when they are wrested to errours, heresies, looseness, covetousness, unrighteousness. When Scripture is urged against Scripture, and the inspirations of the Holy Ghost are urged against themselves. Such scripture deprayers are their own destroyers. 2 Pet. 3. 16. *
2. The Ministry of the Gospel is an abused means, when both their person, calls and messages are uniustly despised, are accounted as offscouring, are disenabled from doing good to scoffing and malicious persons, who either will not hear them, or with scornfull prejudices, amounting to no lesse wickedness, in interpretation, than despising the Lord Jesus, and calling upon insolent contemners irremediless wrath. *
3. Sermons are abused means; and they never are so, but when they are the sad fruits and products of hearts void of Gods fear, and without repentance. No wonder if the divine word be loathed, and holy Sermons be contemned, when fearless, shameless, and faithless hearts have slight thoughts of them, and care little for them, as if they were but scare-crows for children, very fables, when sound, heavenly messages are either not heard at all, or not attentively, not reverently, not understandingly, not wisely, not fervently, not frequently, not perseveringly, not fruitfully, not resigningly, giving up the judgement to be captivated to the obedience of faith, the heart and life to the power of godlyness, but are heard with a contrary corrupt frame of heart, then is a means of grace abused.
4. Sacraments are abused means, when the supernatural grace * they signifie is not sought for, regarded, nor obtained. Their holy, eternall obligations to sound faith and heavenly conversation, who considers? As the Jews prophaned their Sacraments, loose Christians doe theirs. Those rested on the Circumcision of the flesh, and the outward Passeover; Jews without, and not within, wicked in hearts and lives. These rest on Baptismal Water, Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper, Christians without, and not within, unconverted, unsanctified in hearts and lives. These doe prophane offered Sacramental grace, utterly voyd of Sacramental graces and lives. These by their own confessions, are dedicated and devoted to Jesus Christ, to forsake the flesh, the devill, the pomp and vanities of this wicked world, and they doe nothing less. These by taking the Bread and Wine, the lively representations of the shed blood, and broken body of Jesus Christ, are supposed, and obliged to have grace, and grow in it; but they neither have the beeing, nor growth of grace; prophanely take the bread of the Lord, with unbeleeving, impenitent hearts, but not the bread the Lord, with faith, repentance, * and other graces. It will not be the least aggravation of Christians wantonnizing with the grace of God. The wicked abuse of the Sacraments, will prove them undeniable Libertines. What affinity is there between the cleansing water of Baptisme, and Baptized persons, wallowing in the filthiness of flesh and spirit, lying and delighting, like swine, in the mire, in the pollutions of the world? What agreement is there between a pretended feeding on the pure immortal food, Jesus Christ, and feeding on Satans provisions, the delicious lusts, and sweet pleasures of sin? Is not this to turn the Table of the Lord into the Table of Devils, an holy into a prophane feast; as if the holy Supper were instituted to pamper and quicken, not starve and mortifie corruption? How epidemicall and spreading is this abuse? They are the words of an holy, affectionate Writer: *Look into all the parts of the Christian world, and you will not deny many Christians are remiss and cold concerning the saving use of the Sacraments: Be they used or abused, there is rarely enquiring after their efficacy, or contempt; what good is got by them, or what defaming contradictions and wrongs there are against them?
5. Good Books are abused means: By them their holy Authors, * though dead, speak to the living: We have in them the lasting Monuments of pious Labors, the breathings of the Spirits, the experiences of Satans Wiles and Methods, the goings of God in his Sanctuary, the shewing forth of his Power and Glory in his living Temples, well-digested, and heavenly directions, to walk holily, safely, joyfully in the way to Heaven, frequent and passionate woings to receive the Lord Jesus Christ in spiritual Espousals; The necessity and excellency of Regeneration, and the issue of it, the new Creature; The unbottoming and discovery of the hearts deceits; kinde and affectionate warnings, in time, to get out of the state of sin and damnation, and be delivered from the wrath to come; yea further, serious heart-aking and wounding discourses of the woful Eternity of Hells Torments, for the loose and ungodly World; and ravishing Discoveries of the blessed Eternity of Heavens Joys, for exact and Religious persons, with much more that may be said of the drawing excellencies of holy Writings of old and the present age: Now what is the use, indeed abuse of these glorious gifts of the Spirits; the Births not onely of understanding Brains, but holy Hearts; the wasters of Blood and Spirits precious time and labor in the Lords Workmen? Are not these things the sad testimonies of their dishonor? some never read * them, others very rarely; some rather judge and condemn strict truths, too unpleasing Prisons and Chains for their loose hearts, then fall down before the power of their truth and holiness; they rather come with Satans Index Expurgatorius, and by the spirit of error boldly blot out Heavenly Truths, and neither suffer them to come into their Creed nor Practice, then rejoyce at their Imprimatur, that the helps and methods of godly lives, printed in Paper, might be printed in their hearts: Others do, with the Books they read, as with the Sermons they hear, lend them an eye, an ear, a few slighty careless thoughts, but do never with Mary, ponder saving Counsels in their hearts: Some when they read Divine Treatises, labor to pick what errors they can, and like Spiders, suck poyson out of the sweetest hearbs, wherefore they intermix worldly Lusts, the saving of their Diana and Palladium, the corrupt Idols of their hearts; Their darling*Benjamins, their sweet feasting and feasted sins; and these must comment on the Text they read: If precious heart-purifying, life-reforming, sin-reproving, and conscience-smiting discourses, cross error and loosness, then away with the Book, it is stark naught: Others would read Books, but valued onely by the standard of a foolish Wit, accounting of Books by lofty Strains, fine gaudy Phrases, not the golden massy worth of the matter, the Heavenly Treasures set forth in a grave and sober significant Language, plain, yet eloquent expression. I shall enlarge this point, with an hearty advice, to them that have a minde and time to read Books, let them take heed what they read; Satan (I fear) hath the liberty of the Press, as well as Jesus Christ: There are Books of Libertinism abroad: It had been well for some, had they never been published in the world, whose mindes are dangerously infected, without infinite mercy, to their destruction: In the other World, what if undone souls, by wicked Books, should wish the eyes of their flesh had been blinde, and ears deaf, that they could have neither read nor heard of Printed Error and Loosness, to their destruction: The Devil hath his market and merchants, foolish Chapmen are deceived, and take the bad ware of darkness for light, flesh for spirit: O ye simple gulled People of this Nation, cheated almost of your Christianity and Civility, unless ye will be foolish and proud, take the advice of your learned godly Ministers, of settled, sollid, experienced Christians, and ask them what Books you should read. A few words of counsel I have to you that are jocund, merry ones, boon Companions, if you read this Section, I beseech you, in the bowels of Jesus Christ, as you tender your Salvation, and the glory of God, spend your time better; It will never repent you, when you die, you have left your covetous passionate Gaming, the too frequent delights of the flesh, you drench, almost drown your souls in, for the choosing, reading, meditating on Books of Mortification, Heavenly-mindedness, and preparation for Death and Eternity: I am sure you cannot deny it now, rationally; I am most sure your   awakened mindes cannot deny it on your death-beds, that your diligent reading of Dike, of the deceitfulness of the heart; Baxters everlasting rest; Greenham, Bolton, Preston, Perkins, &c. and such Books as those were incomparably better to be read, then wanton Play-Books, Romances, debauching Amorous Writings: If you will not believe me now, whether you will or no you shall in the other World: Read, O read what will fit you for Heaven; for your souls sake, do not by reading vain, frothy, written delight, and read your selves into Hell.
6. Prayer is an abused means, when this holy piece of Divine * Worship, the most sweet and frequent way of converse with God about Heavenly affairs, is totally neglected: When men come unto God without any serious thoughts of his Reverend Majesty, rushing to the Throne of Grace, as to a Theater, a Market, a merry Meeting: When there are attempts of drawing nigh before infinite Purity, with impure hearts and unclean hands, after hot pursuit of the World, and fervency in the service of carnal Lusts, there is bold approach unto Gods presence, as if God would regard their Prayers, who regard iniquity in their hearts: When Supplicants do not so much pray, as complement; in good earnest, not Petition God, but mock him, declaiming against the sins they love, unwilling to part with the Lusts they chide, that God should take them at their words: One would think that hears zealous arraignment, and severe condemnings of some sins in Prayer, would think the hatred of them were implacable, and the forsaking of them would be everlasting, when at the same time there is a strong habitual league with them; yea after many hard words, a securing of them, living and delighting in them: These, and many more affronts, are put upon this Heavenly means of Grace, Prayer.
7. Education is an abused means: When lewd children and * servants are not taken with the holy Counsels, and exemplary Piety of their godly Guides; Some either expresly hate instruction and correction, or do but dissemble holiness, who while they are in strict Families, eternally conform to Holy Orders, like the Fish Polipus, that can turn it self into the colour of the Rock; but when out of the Parents Wing, and the Masters Government, are no more the children and servants they were, than a Player is a King when he is off the Stage, or an Ape in mans apparrel, is a man when undressed: How will houshold Governors, warnings and chastizings, prayers and tears, sweetest wooings, and drawing promises to rebellious children, and graceless servants, that they may minde the marchless interest of Gods glory, and their own salvation, rise up in judgement against them in the accounting Day, when it will appear, exactest educations have been abused.
8. Scriptural convictions are an abused means: There are * not a few that know their duties and their sins: It is as clear as noon-light, that their intemperancies, incontinences, unrighteous dealings, oathes, lies, neglect of Prayer, are sins: From a rouzing Sermon they can go home with smitten hearts, grant that Sermon-Truths have been arrows directed to the breast of their dead corruption, and in vanishing fits, and moods of appearing goods, promise to leave their drunken company, oathes, lies, and worldliness, yea, weep over their confessed wickedness; but after these suddain moods and pangs of piety are vanished, the convinced sinner is as jovial, drunken, false in his dealing, mad on his reprieved, not mortified Lusts, his sleeping, not dead corruptions, as if his sins had never stared him in the conscience, and been represented to him, as that which unforsaken would ruine him: These do the works of darkness by Gospel-light, go without miraculous conversion, and exact repentance, with open eyes to Hell: and knowing their Masters will, but doing it not, shall be beaten with sharper Eternal stripes, then ignorant Heathens, and blinde vulgar Papists. O inlightned Christians, bless God for your light, but fear and tremble, lest the wickedness of loose hearts and ungodly conversation, be greatned by your clear informations: They who by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, have escaped the pollutions of the world, and are (out of choice and delight) again intangled in them: It had been better they had never known the way of righteousness, then after they have known it, to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them, 2 Pet. 2. 20, 21.
9. Afflictions are an abused means: They ought to be the discipline*of vertue, the purgatory of corruption, Isa. 27. 9. the teachers of neglected holy duties, Psal. 94. 12. The reducers of foolish wandring sinners into their wits and way, Luke 15. 17. Wearers from the worlds sweet dugs, 2 Cor. 4. 16, 17. Strikers of holy awe of the Divine presence, in daring spirits, 1 Sam. 6. 20. Snuffers of the candle of well instructed reason, that it may give a clearer light to the inferior faculties, Job 33. 16, 19. Monitors, not to commit*over again the old sins, John 5. 15. Abasers of proud spirits, Job 33. 17, 19. Converters of departed souls, Psalm 119. 67. Instrumental Saviours of lost sinners, 2 Chron. 33. 12, 13. When the Lords rods are spent in vain: These Heavenly ends of afflictions are not attained, but hearts as hard as an anvile, take no gracious impressions of Gods blows: In Gods afflicting Furnace, there is no golden refinings of Grace, no purging the dross of corruption: The ill humors of camal lusts and affections, and loose manners under his Physick are more incurable; unbettered afflicted ones will not be purged, but revolt more and more: Then afflictions, the means of Grace, are abused.

SECT. 7.

7. THe examples of Grace are turned into wantonness: They * are then well used, when from a right estimate of them, admiration of Gods goodness in them, Thankfulness for them, Phil. 1. 3. Zeal to follow them, Heb. 6. 12. shaming and blaming our selves for our unlikeness to them, 1 Cor. 15. 14. Daily indeavoring to write after their fair, holy and heavenly Copies, Heb. 12. 1. Delighting in them above all persons of the World, Psalm 16. 3. choosing of them to be our choice companions and bosom-friends, Psal. 119. 63. resenting them as shining Lights in the World, Phil. 2. 15. to clear our way to the Heavenly Countrey: Thus to improve the best of patterns, that reflect and hold forth the glory of God in the World, the fruits of the direct beams of infused holiness, and to be won to Christ, 1 Pet. 3. 1. and quickned to the power of Religion, by others exemplary Piety, Charity, Innocence and Justice, is to use well examples of Grace: But now when men and women regard not the most shining Lights, sleep, and play the wantons before them, and with them, make them their may-game, their sport, the Theam of their prophane jests and scurrilous wits, in their Houses, Ale-benches, Taverns, the Road: When David was the Drunkards song, Psalm 69. 12. the scorn of many, despised of Michal, 2 Sam. 6. 16. When hypocritical mockers at Feasts make the heirs of glory their scoffing Table-talk; when the Upright are called Hypocrites: Righteous dealers are voted unjust, or for one piece of unequal dealing, are ever condemned so: When the glorifiers of God before men, out of conscience of duty, because under a command, are thought vain-glorious: When exact walkers, fearful of sin, dare not run with others into excess of riot, nor give allowances, fond and liberal, to their fawning lusts, shall be called over-righteous, deemed needless precisians, making too much ado in the Church of God; as if men could be too godly, when the highest measures of holy strictness are exceedingly short of the rule and the life of Christ; as if too much care, conscience, and pains, according to requiries of Scripture, either could be, is, or ever was, in any Believer in the World; as if when the word says, real Saints are to give all diligence, in the exercise of all Graces, 2 Pet. 1. 5. &c. To work out their salvation with fear and trembling. Phil. 2. To make through work of it, to redeem the time, to be followers of Christ, they could be too diligent and strict, by the warrant of these and other Scriptures, to assure and promote their eternal Salvation: Every serious dying-Saint, thinks he hath done too little for the honor of God and his Gospel, for his own soul and others: Every glorified Saint seeth his massy glory doth exceedingly outweigh his most diligent services and patient sufferings: The abuse of holy examples is too general an injury to God and his choice servants: The gracious, the graceless are both guilty. 1. The gracious, low spirited Christians, whose light is in a dark lanthorn, that shine forth to outward view little or nothing of the glory and power of Religion: O ye Christians of the lower form, look to those that have out-learned you in Christs School, continue not still in your weak Graces and strong Corruptions! see you not some of your fellow-Converts are very Heavenly? Let this correct your earthiness: Are some meek? let this shame and cure your passions; Have they liberal hearts and hands? let this open your shut bowels and purses; Can they forgive great wrongs? let this blame and mend you that can hardly pass by little; Dare they not speak idely and frothily, guarding the doors of their lips? Let this urge you to repentance, who speak not onely idly, but wickedly, uttering such corrupt communication, that slanders by must needs conclude foul hearts, when tongues are so foul; Do they grow under the means of Grace?   Let their proficiency spur you to better progresses by holy Ordinances: Do they practice Religion where they are most, in their own Families? Let your sinful Houshold omission of holy Duties, or but cold formal performances; your domestick disorders be reformed. Lastly, Do they live in the power of godliness? let this warn your too powerless profession, that you labor more for the power. 2. The graceless are guilty of abusing the grace of God, in the examples of Grace: How will this load your guilt at the great day, that as you have wronged the Gospel of Grace, so you have gracious Gospellers? you look on them as the vile off-scouring of the World, 1 Cor. 4. 13. of whom the world is not worthy, Heb. 11. 38. Can proudly judge them sometimes base persons, for their despised, though honorable Divine nature, and their loathed holiness, herein like to the Heathens of old, who made the practice of Christianity, and the Christians owning the Christian name their crime: Though you cast contempt on vessels of honor, whom you debase, God esteems: It is no flattering, but Scripture Language: The Scripture stiles them Precious, Isa. 43. 4. Jewels, Mal. 3. 17. Honorable, Isa. 43. 4. Noble, Acts 17. 11. Kings, Rev. 1. 6. Princes in all Lands, Psal. 45. 16. that have the happiness to enjoy them: If they be as dirt in your eyes, they are as gold in Gods: Be intreated to take a measure by the golden line of the Sanctuary; whose examples are most Scriptural, safe to the interest of immortal souls, those you contemn, or those you follow: Though with a supercilious from, you disdain to follow their sober, chaste, heavenly, pious, mortified, penitential, reformed lives: Truth will make your awakned mindes, when you die, wish you had traced their holy steps, and when you would at the great day be glad to follow them in glory, this for ever will shut the door of hope and happiness, you never followed them in Grace: It is in vain with Balaam to wish the death of the righteous, and with vulgar, dead, imaginary Believers, to hope for the glory of the righteous, when there is not with upright Saints, living the life of the Righteous: Holy and happy should you be that follow the huge multitudes that troop to hell in the broad way of pleasing evil examples; if converting Grace did powerfully whisper in your Spirit, and draw you back to the narrow way of life: Here you should meet with a thin, but blessed company.   Fellow, O follow them, who through Faith and unwearied patience in well-doing, have their race answered with an eternall prize; and them also, who after their holy course is finished, shall inherit the promises. It will never grieve you, if once you return from your mad errours and courses, to your sober spiritual witts, that you have changed undoing for saving presidents, that you have left your soul-ruining good-fellowship, for communion with Saints, Angels, the Mediator of the Covenant, and with the blessed Trinitie for all Eternitie. Have any of you ridden about life and death, and with exceeding grief lost both your time and way? have you rejoyced to meet with an unerring gride, that hath not onely brought you out from your wandrings, but set you in your way, yea rode before you as a courteous faithfull guide? The like joy, yea greater you will find, if after you have strayed like lost travellers, God set before you leaders, and you have the wisdome and grace to follow in the erring and dangerous wilderness of this world, your holy guides to the heavenly Canaan.

SECT. 8.

8. REconciling Grace is turned into Wantonness. As in the * former Section the choice Presidents of Grace, so in this, and the following particulars, the choice priviledges of Grace will appear to be abused.

God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, 2 Cor. 5. 10. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. Rom. 5. 10. The propitiatory atoning sacrifice of Christs death, in putting away Gods destructive wrath is rich grace. Even this is injured. Reconciliation with God stands, in many, with agreement with Satan, what in them lies peace with God and sin kisse each other, as if a league with heaven and hell could stand together. Seditious persons reconciled to their Prince, abuse his goodness, when at the same time they are Traiterous friends with his enemies, hold intelligence with them, doe homage to them, are ruled by them, and propagate their dominions, are the picture of those wanton Traitors that abuse Gods Reconciling grace. That grace of God whereby he is reconciled to the sinner, and the sinner to him, begets an universall peace with all his laws and methods of holynesse,   and war with sinne. At what time friendship is commenced between God and the soul, war is waged and maintained against sin. Reconciliation and Alteration go together: Turning away his wrath from the sinner, and turning of the heart of the sinner are undevided. What pleaseth a pacified God, pleaseth the sons of peace: When the face of God shines in smiles of peace, the Laws of God are favours, no offences; priviledges, no burdens; sweet delights, no unpleasing tasks; the liberty, not prison of really pacified beleevers: Great peace have they which love thy Law, and nothing shall offend them, Psal. 119. 165. The Romans that had peace with God, stood in this Gospel-grace, engaged to be holy, not allowed to be Libertines. The exercises of graces, not allowances to lusts, were the fruit of this heavenly reconcilement. Rom. 5. 10, 11, &c. It is a choice blessing purchased by Christs death. Rom. 5. They are blessed who are reconciled by him, and not offended in him, Mat. 11. 6. But they that refuse the Laws of his government, had never yet the joy of atonement, though they pleasingly vote themselves the friends of God, they will be made to their own smart to know, it is one thing to bee reconciled when enemies, it is another thing to be reconciled and abide enemies: No enemies to the Laws of Christ, and Gospel-holiness were ever actually reconciled; they are yet under wrath that are under the reign of sin. Let them consider it that take up, keep and use armes of Hostilitie against the God of peace. Thoughts of reconcilement may be pleasing, they will be a vanishing dream: Divine Pacification is in order to Communion. Libertines cannot walk with God, and see his smiles, that turn back upon God, and hate his Laws.

SECT. 9.

ADopting Grace is turned into Wantonness. I have nourished*and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. Isa. 1. 2. Ah seed of evill doers, children that are corrupters, v. 4. A son honoreth his father: If I be a father, where is mine honour? Mal. 1. 6. As Jacobs Sonnes, Simeon and Levi’s wickedness made him stink. Gen. 34. 30. Eli’s wanton sons were his reproach, so Gods Adopting grace is wronged by his professed children to his dishonour. As when a Beggar is an adopted   sonne, and is saucy, scornfull, stout in his fathers presence, this differencing grace is turned to wantonness; so when a beggarly sinner in external Adoption, is admitted into Gods family, his loose, unmannerly carriage in his Fathers presence, puts an affront upon Adopting grace. To the Israelites appertained the Adoption. Rom. 9. 4. They owned the promotion. God is our Father. Joh. 8. 41. But the high abuse of this preferment in Heathenizing, like Sodom and Gomorrah. Isa. 1. 10. wronging the Stewards of Gods select family, the holy Prophets. Act. 7. 52. despising the orders of his government. Jer. 13. 9, 10. Idolatrizing with the Gentiles. Ps. 106. 35. Their a Impudence, b Ʋniversality, and c Incorrigiblenesse of sinne, a Jer. 6. 15. b Jer. 6. 28. c Jer. 2. 30. turned their external adoption into exprobation. Their professed owning of God their Father in an externall covenant of Grace, with unchild-like rebellions, did aggravate their abominations. Their want on lusts spoyled their Adoption: God was in Title, the Devil in reallity their father. Joh. 8. 44. His Lusts, but not the divine Laws of Jesus Christ ruled over them. Too much a kin are dissolute Christians to the Jews, dishonourers of adopting grace. The looser, the stricter sort of Christians.

1. The Looser. With what boldnesse, confidence, yea impudence doe many say, Our Father, who have nothing lesse than the dispositions and affections of children? as if God could own Satans image for his living pictures, and perpetuall estrangements, disaffections, enmities, yea reproaches could have any reconcilement with the heavenly dignity of Adoption. God that hath taught men to pray, hath bid no man to lye, and to say hee is their Father in Christ, when they are unchristian in heart and life. I confesse the worst of men may wish they had reall interest in Adopting grace. But under the Fatherhood of Satan, to claim spiritual Sonship, is so to call God Father, as Judas called Christ Master, Luk. 14. 45. a mockery, but not a truth. How rare is it for the prophane pretended children of God, in good earnest to charge grosse hypocrisie on their profession, and thus to quaere; Can these oathes, drunken, unclean, unrighteous, voluptuous lives bear any fair consistency with Adopting grace? Am I not an impure offspring of Hell, though I pretend to an heavenly progeny? Will these thoughts, words, and actions speak Gods children? These serious reflexions are very rare. 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 The notorious seed of the Serpent will complement and write themselves in their deceitfull hearts Gods children. Many of them have been, the rest will be blotted out of this blessed roll. Ah bold intruder! ere long, in this life, or the next, thy Conscience wil tel thee, Heaven holds no such children, as wil live as they list, reject the paternal government of God, evidently darken the glory of God in the world, and yet call him father.
2. The stricter sort of Christians too much follow the dissolute Jew, in blemishing the glory of divine Adoption, and these are of two sorts. Such as really, such as are opinionatively godly, are indeed children, and that seem to be so.
3. Christians of strict profession, that are indeed children. What doe you for your fathers name? Doe not even you, that shall hear these sweet words from the mouth of your Judge and Saviour, Come ye blessed of my Father, hinder his renown in the world? Are not you Key-cold, Hard-hearted, of dis-ingenuous unchild-like spirits, when you see the dreadfull testimonies of his dishonour? Doe not you, who in the next world shall lift up his name, and make his praise glorious, cast down his name, and make it infamous? Your undutifulness to your dear Father is too much, that your too loose hearts dishonour him, and inward wickednesse provokes his absence; but is it not enough in irreverence and disobedience within doors to wrong your childhood? will you dare to dishonour him, and your selves in the publick street of common notices? Against the precious fame of your Father, how are your tongues heated with a fiery satan, and the flames of ungoverned passion, to abound in transgression before malicious observers, glad of your halting? How unwarily doe you publish your over-eager, yea it may be in some things, injurious chases after the worlds gainfull prizes? Why discover you the nakedness of your dis-love and hardness to forgive a saint or sinner? Why doth your voluptuousness, too much declare you yet live not above the world? Why are you silly chapmen to take off the braid wares of corrupt errours? Have no opininions taught you looseness? Why doe you not shew you are Christians to purpose, in doing illustrious singular things; that the neighbours that study your lives, and are strangers to your inward Faith and Love may say, These are children of God indeed, would I were in their condition? It is not the language but the power of your Profession that will draw hearts after it. How have you defaced your Adoption, when your sinfull omissions of convincing duties, and breakings forth of corruption, sharpen the edge of bitter language, and tempt to these words of reproach; O these are the children of God (in scorn) denying you the honour, because you have denyed God the glory, and your selves the credit of your Adoption. Let this lord your hearts for your unwatchful and dishonourable conversation, and call for future caution: Your publick sinnes make your Father hear ill in the world.
4. Christians of strict profession, that have onely childrens name, not nature, artificial, not supernaturally natural, not lively in externall exercises of Religion, that put over impious designs and practises, the too good cover of a pious name, that are adorned, painted Sepulchers, unclean within; that make not Religion the great expedient for blessed eternity, but a fair net*to catch the world in: That in your zealous devotions, more hot in the mouth than heart, call God frequently your Father, and make it the pleasing Prologue and usher of many of your Petitions, Confessions, and Thanksgivings, and yet have no filiall affections of love, and feare, shame and sorrow, no pleasure in pleasing him, no real godly sorrow for his dishonour: That betray the weaknesse of your painted piety, having no real fervencie of heart for the interest of Gods name, but your own concernments: That betray the whole body of your Religion is a dead carkass, without the life and soul of it, the quickning Spirit: No wonder if you stink, when the ill savour of your loathed pollutions, intemperance, incontinence, unrighteousnesse, unnaturall sins betray the power of Religion was but feigned, never feared in the heart, that could never disperse inward, nor outward beloved, and delighted in imperious sins. O you that are strict in the exercises of piety, and do but feign, not really affect and pursue Christianity, Gods most heavy, and smarting blows will be at you, without great repentance, and singular reforming sinceritie: Doe no longer mock God nor men: Hypocrisie at length ends in Apostasie: The feigned friends of Christ are real enemies. O let not Religion, holy Religion be wickedly blasphemed, nor be your play and game, but your serious businesse in good earnest; and know when you dye, as well may you expect a painted fire should warm you, as a painted Religion comfort your self-accused, and tempted departing soules. Before I close this point, I must warn the loose and scoffing generation that possibly may read this page, to forbear their triumph: Some may say, The Author hath hit the mark, and ecchoes with our thoughts; we are glad he hath payd the Hypocrites; out upon these Precisians, they are all Hypocrites. And are you glad indeed; Where is your charity? That would not rejoice in iniquity, 1 Cor. 13. 6. What if your merry sarcasmes, and satyricall invectives against the Hypocrites, be an arrow justly shot against your selves? Did you never read, there are hypocritical mockers in feasts? Psal. 35. 16. The severe censurers of Hypocrisie had need be upright. Are not you eminently grosly guilty of the crime you cry down? If you will not believe it, it is easie to prove it, deny it if you can: Do not you profess salvation only by Jesus Christ? Do not you know, except you be born again, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven? Joh. 3. 5. Is it not plain Scripture, He that is in Christ is a new creature, 2 Cor. 5. 17. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts? Gal. 5. 24. Are you not commanded to redeem the time? Ephes. 5. 16. Are not livers in pleasures dead to God while they live? 1 Tim. 5. 6. Must not he that abides in Christ, walk as he walked? 1 Joh. 2. 5. Now I beseech you that throw the dreadfull charge of Hypocrisie, and it may be truly against some persons, and yet care not though through the sides of Hypocrites yee wound the generation of Gods children, are not you gross Hypocrites your selves? You profess Christianity, credit Gospelrevelation, call Christ your Saviour, dare not say you will not be ruled by his Laws, expect salvation by him, own his Ordinances, and if asked the question, before a Sacrament, or on a sick bed, by Ministers that please you, will you follow the rules of the Gospel to fit you for heaven? My charitie perswades me you would say yea, God forbid but I should be ruled by Jesus Christ. It is very easie then to conclude from your own concessions you are Professors, now what is Hypocrisie but a constant contradiction to the profession of the power of godlinesse; Is not yours such? Be not angry with this home-speaking to your bosomes, your consciences, if you repent not, will speak a thousand times more after death than a few pages. Can your studious,   and ordinary giving up your selves to the lusts, pomps, and vanities of the world, be interpreted a devoting, or resignment of your persons up to Jesus Christ? Are you born of the Spirit that shew no scripture proofs of your high heavenly birth, the life of the Spirit, the graces of the Spirit, the leading of the Spirit, that are not acquainted with the breathings of the Spirit at the throne of grace, who never made your families houses of prayer? Are you indeed new creatures? Is it possible that the old oathes, drunkennesse, uncleannesse, slighting, and contemning the Word of God, laughing at those truths you hear, that should set you a trembling, loathing of religious exercises, living in the old affections and conversation, should prove you were new creatures? Can you beleeve Christ in you hath crucified the flesh with its affections, and lusts, which you pamper and keep alive? Doe you redeem precious time, all which should you live an hundred years, abating the necessary and moderate attendances on the things of this life, would call for all time in the numerous services of Religion, conquests of Temptations, subjection to the Gospel, and preparation for Eternity? Will you call your covetous, costly, passionate gaming in the afternoon till night, yea sometimes from night till morning, redeeming the time? Is your sleeping till nine or ten a clock on the Lords day, time Redemption? Is your earthy, frothy, unedifying discourses one with another, when you are commanded to provoke one another to love and good works. Heb. 10. 28. To speak what may minister grace and soul advantage to the hearer. Eph. 4. 29. Time improvements? Are your tyring attendances an hour or two on Gods Worship time advantages? Are your many hours attendances on your flesh-pleasing sensualities, the shortest and sweetest hours, the reall profit of time? I beseech you in good earnest, study how Christ walked, and then judge your selves, whether your debauched loose lives, strangers, yea enemies to the strict waies of Christianitie, will prove you walk like Christ; what remains then, but if your eies be open, the fruit of this arraignment of you, before the word of truth, will be real conviction you are gross hypocrites your selves. I say not this delighting to discover the nakednesse of your deceits, but if Gods grace help, to reform them. It is true, there are that make strict profession, are hypocrites, but wil this help you when God seeth,   and your selves know your palpable hypocrisies? As drunkennesse condemns drunkennesse, treason treason, uncleanness uncleanness, covetousnesse covetousnesse, passion passion, so too * often hypocrisie hypocrisie. How is the Devill pleased to see fellow sinners peal and deeply charge one another, who without infinite mercy, are fellow travellers to hell; and will have no pleasure in accusing each other there? O you that are the looser sort of Christians, deal not with the stricter, who abuse their eminent religious appearances, as Diogenes did with Plato,* comming into his adorned and stately room, he trampled on his braverie; being asked the reason of this incivilitie, the Cynick answered, I trample on Plato’s pride: Yea (saith Plato) with greater pride. Do you see and comment on the errors and scandals of strict profession? Take heed you doe not trample on their hypocrisie with greater hypocrisie. I shall finish this digression, with an humble and hearty admonition to larger, and stricter professors, to fear and tremble, lest they live and die under the dominion and damnation of hypocrisie. Ah Christians, who are too Eagle-ey’d in discerning each others hypocrisies, and are too guilty of this sad retaliation, to charge one another with bitter words, but are too Mole-like in seeing your own dissimulation; study both I beseech you, your own bosom Arch-juglers, your own deceitfull lusts: Let your chiefest anger * and revenge be against the craft and willnesse of your own corruption; Be willing, O be willing that the word of the Spirit should slay your own. See you of loose, and you of strict profession one anothers hypocrisies, O turn your declamations into lamentations, your sharp charges into praiers, your scoffs into teares for one another; and you that need bowels of compassions, and a mantle of charitie, to put over, not to blaze * one anothers hypocrisies, return piety and tendernesse of spirit to your fello• deceivers; I mean not soul-ruining flatterie, but regular Gospel-charitie.

To return to the abuse of Adopting grace. Whosoever they are, as there are but few that are guiltlesse, very few but dishonour the glory and dignitie of their Adoption, I could wish that it might be laid to heart, three things may be seriously considered.

1. The naturall respects, reverence, lively affections, and zeal that children bear to their parents, •ho•onow the guidance of that engraven Law God hath put into the•• spirits. The force of this consideration is this: Is it not an high dishonour to the Father of spirits, that the Parents of the flesh should have most regard? It is storied of a dumb sonne, who seeing his fathers life endangered, in mightie zeal burst open the long shut doors * of silence, and said, O kill not the man. Doe we not see the name of our heavenly father, we call so, endangered, his Gospel in perill to be lost by common contempts and barrennesse, our own soule; endammag’d, and yet we are not delivered from a dumb devill, we want hearts and words to speak for our Father, to cry mightily to him that his glory may not be so obscured, his Gospel may be preserved, our soules may be sanctified and eternally saved? Where are our suspitions lest we darken his name by our dis-ingenuous unchild-like carriages? I am afraid, said the son of Declus, lest when I am made Emperour I forget my*self to be a son.•re we as zealous in our ease, prosperities, sweet creature injoyments, Lest fulness rempt to forgetfulness, lest we should be lesse reverent and obedient children, when our Tables are most delicious, and beds sofrest? Doth the light of nature say, Parents can never be recompenced? Doth the Scripture bid children to requite their parents. 1 Tim. 5. 4. which endeavour they may, fully accomplish they cannot? What shame is * it when we are infinitely more indebted to our heavenly father, then our earthly progenitors, that we should return him irreverence, daily dishonours; but be very rare and cold, and weary of religious, loyal, and filial returns? We reverence (saith the Apostle) the correcting fathers of our flesh, shall we not much rather be in sub•ection to the father of spirits and lives? Heb. 12. 9. There * is a much rather for an honourable deportment, under the heavenly than earthly adoption: But the fathers of the flesh have a large harvest of respect and service, our heavenly Father hath s••rce the gle•nings of duty. Would Chrysostome have children*serve the carefull and zealous instruments of their worldly beeing, with as close a constraint and duty of love, as slaves do their masters from servile fear? How do we abuse our high, holy, and heavenly relation of children, when neither out of fear of his hot displeasure, nor love of his drawing goodness, we doe to God faithful service?
2. It is an eminent piece of most abominable ingratitude to abuse best friends, dear parents; vengeance would not suffer Absolom to live, that rose up against his Fathers Crown and life; and they who would not obey their Parents (a sad monument of divine wrath) have obeyed the Hangman. Hath God borne so severe testimony against the dishonours of fleshly parents, will he not revenge our unthankfulnesse, who professe him our heavenly Father, live every moment by his protections and provisions; spend upon his creatures, his bounty, his care, his patience, yea hope to be with him in heaven, and yet riot, grow unruly and insolent with his goodness, wax wanton like well fed heifers in fat pastures, refuse his sweet Gospel yoak, deafen our ears to our fathers call; kick at the tender bowels of his love, not onely reject, but some of us jeer at the orders of his family discipline? Can we think that the zeal of God, that hath burnt hot in dreadfull examples against the abuse of Parental rights, will not break out in dreadfull flames against all of us very mock-gods, that complement God our Father, and take it for granted, we are his children (as indeed we are in externall Baptismal Covenant) when it will be found, as the degenerated seed of Abraham, were ranked with Sodom and Gomorrah in wickednesse, so without exceeding practical repentance, we shall be found no better, casting off our Fathers holy government, than very heathens, yea worse than they, by how much the more we have put the cover of an heavenly adoption over hellish rebellions.
3. In the great day God will strictly examine all those that * passed for the members of his family. Admission unto his houshold, and calling him Father, will not secure from the wrongs of this heavenly relation. It is impossible now infallibly to discern between the spurious adulterate issue of the serpents seed, and the new-born reall children of the most high God; but at the great day, when the thoughts of all hearts shall be opened, and the lives of all Professors, stricter or larger shall be examined, * then (which is a dreadfull place) The children of the Kingdom shall be cast out. Mat. 8. 12. Those that had a name without the heavenly nature, dispositions, affections, and conversations of Children that have blotted their Fathers name, with inward filthiness, and outward pollutions of the World, that have clearly proved Gods House hath been haunted with unclean Spirits, that have owned God in title, the Devil in reallity their Father, that have as many times mockt God, as they have called him their Father in Christ: Then shall these, not Children of God, but Rebels; not the Image of Christ, but Satan; not the exalters, but debasers of Gods name, be set on their proper side among the children of the Divel, and publikely before God, his holy Angels, his real Saints and Children, be everlastingly disowned from being reputed and rewarded as his Children, and be banished from his blessed and comfortable presence, to the Devil their Father, to keep company with all the Apostate Angels, and the Serpents seed, whether Pagan, abusing the light of nature, or Christian, the glorious Gospel of Grace: O consider this, all you that are called Christians, that either are more open and gross, or close prophaners of your Fathers Name, Fear and tremble still to abuse it, lest as the degenerate Children of the Kingdom, ye be cast out: Then all thin fig-leaves, and external pretensions, you are Gods Children, will vanish from you as darkness before the Sun, and flee away as chaff before the wind: It will be found, that Profession of Christianity is easie, but a suitable disposition and conversation to it is hard and rare; Lord, Lord, will not alter the purposes of that angry, natural Justice, that will take vengeance on the dishonors offered to adopting Grace.

SECT. 10.

10. FReeing Grace is turned into wantonness: The sweet * name of liberty, but not rightly stated and understood, hath been one of Satans snares, and is still to undoe precious souls: We are bid to stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, Gal. 5. 1. but not in the liberty that Satan, the lusts of men, the spirit of error, carnal Interests and Policy makes us free: Jesus Christ never died to give the Devil a free trade: Gospel-Grace hath glorious freedom, from the curse of the Law,•al. 3. 13. the guilt of sin, the wrath to come, 1 Thess. 1. 10. These are purchased liberties by the blood of Christ, and are all abused by licentious spirits, who turn Christian liberty into un-Christian Libertinism: They are free from the curse of the Law, as they believe, but are cursed Children, 2 Pet. 2. 14. have unmortified cursed Corruptions, do accursed things, and lead accursed lives; so their freedom from the guilt of sin, is abused to wallowing in the filth of sin; and their fancied liberty from the wrath to come, is to enjoy the present pleasures of sin, and by treasuring up of sin, to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath, Rom. 2. 5. Too many sleeps on this sweet pillow, pleasing indempnity, freedom from hell, and abuse this liberty, by a secure walking in the way to hell: How * is liberty mistaken? It is a freedom from sin, not in sin; It is putting the old man in chains, not allowing him enlargement; It is absolute denying of unlawful things, yea limitation and omission of lawful: It is a free service of God, not a servile freedom of lust; It is confined to Scripture rule, not left loose to a selfish arbitrary will; It is full of humility, fear and trembling, not audacious, adventuring on any thing: It must write after the copy of Heavens liberty, which is to do the will of God, not the flesh: Holy Angels are free, but it is to duty, not rebellion. A wonder it is, that under Gospel-light, Christian liberty is made so broad a cover, as almost to hide any thing: How many come in here for their share? lavish Gaming, that throws away that in an hour, which would feed and cloath several poor Families for many years; spotted, yea painted faces, shroud themselves under lawful liberty: Excessive gluttonous Feasts, have their freedom too: A Cup too much, that tempts to many more, is made bold with, though it load the stomach and brains to staggering, vomit, laying reason asleep, mis-spending time and money: Covetous getting and keeping Estates, hath its patronage from Scripture liberty: Parents must lay up for their Children, 2 Cor. 12. 14. It is Infidel-like not to provide for them, when under this pretence the numerous Texts of Scripture, concerning giving to the poor, are made of none effect: Every absurd and sottish opinion in Religion, among the sides of needless and offensive divisions pleads Christian liberty; yea which is sad, horrid, not onely unchristian, but uncivil and unnatural practices have the same refuge: O when that arch Libertine the Devil shall once gull men, that his hellish suggestions have the leave and liking of Christ and his Spirit, wickedness will be   boundless: It is sad to think how slily and successfully the Devil hath made prodigious Errors and practices pass•ble, as in former times, so in the present age: O you that are falsly so called free men and women, know whom the Son makes free, they are free indeed: You do but dream of true freedom, who are the slaves *not of one man, but of as many Lords as lusts: Who will believe he is free, who goeth ratling up and down in chains, with his keeper by him? Alass! carnal Libertines conceive they are free, when they go up and down in chains of accustomed sins, and have their Keeper with them, yea in them, (i. e.) the Prince of this wicked world.

How not onely unreasonable, but unchristian, hath been the practice of loose, not Christian Reformation: Satan can ruine by extreams: Some Protestants in Germany, that did well in leaving Antichrist, did ill too in Apostacy from Christ: It was the complaint of Mencelius: O sad and shameful disgrace! After the power of the holy Gospel had set enthralled Consciences at liberty*from the power and tyranny of the Pope, men would be free from all bonds, nor suffer any to hinder their licentious lives. Are not these sad extreams the practice of these times? After many amongst us are freed from humane Conscience-yoaks, they complained of, have they not also thrown off the Government of Christ by his Word and Spirit, and do as much boggle at Divine, as humane impositions? as if the pure and strict Laws of Christ were equally intolerable with the erring Laws of men. Surely Christian liberty puts an universal confinement upon corruption, forbids every proud, wanton, erring Judgement; is prone and free to pass a sentence upon, & crucifie carnal Lusts and Affections; dares not adventure on a vain thought and idle word, much less monstrous opinions, and courses of old and present times. Some men so fearfully manage their Gospel liberty, as if they might have leave to desire, think, affect, believe, speak, *and do whatsoever they please, under Gospel-allowance, which interpretative Blasphemy, speaks the Gospel a prophane, not an holy Gospel: But it need fear no such reproach: Its pure rules will vindicate themselves from loosness; Its sound words, from corrupt opinions; Its condemning holiness, shine in the threatned damnation of all those that make its liberty an occasion to the flesh: yet far be it from me that I should so reproach Christs   free ones, that better improve their glorious Liberty, in these trying times, as to deny, there are many who through preserving Grace, hold fast to the form of sound words, and do more warily manage Christian liberty by others Libertinism, that dare not live as very many do, that do not allow and follow, but reprove, pray against, and weep over their loosness; a better course then they take, that rebuke sin with sin, and while they declaim against unwary Christians use of liberty, do fearfully abuse it themselves: But the working out Salvation with fear and trembling, will prevent among us many Libertines. Ah dear Christians, are you called to liberty? see to it, that you be guided by the life and laws of Christ: Utter disproportions from these, are none of Christs purchase nor dispensations: Your dangers are fearful, in common liberty of Conscience to be unconscionable,* while you may have nature, state, and Church-freedom, you may be Conscience slaves: No thraldom like that wherein the Devil rides and drives Consciences where he please: If he can once be master in the Conscience, the Soul, and all else, in his own.

SECT. 11.

11. PArdoning Grace is turned into wantonness: Apprehended * Remission hath proved the corroboration of sin: How many are there that sin, because they think they are pardoned, and though they drive on the trade again, it is but suing a Pardon, and the corrupt Libertine hath peace again? Sin and pardon, pardon and sin, is their circle of delusion: But sin and repentance are strangers to each other: What a dishonor is this to pardoning Grace? It is made by these men, the Incourager and Patron of sin, as the Popes indulgences, and large Pardons for sins past, present, and to come, out of his rich, cheating pardon office, are to blinde Papists: How do Libertines turn the pardon office of Heaven, and throne of Grace erected by the Lord Jesus, into a Stews of uncleanness, a free opening of Hell Gates, an open Market for any to buy the Devils Wares? Hearken all ye that wrong pardoning mercy, to nine things. *
12. You, in ungrateful Wickedness, •ndervalue, yea tread under your feet the infinite price of forgiveness: The state of pardon, and every act of pardon, cost the blood of the Son of God: We have redemption through his blood, the forgivenesse of sinnes. Ephes. 1. 7. Because this blood hath bought you a pardon, will you sell your selves to worke wickednesse, and disgrace your Redeemer and redemption?
13. You abuse the riches of Gods grace: Forgivenesse of sins*is according to the riches of his grace. Ephes. 1. 7. The pardon of every sinne, of infinite numberlesse sinnes, is a distinct act of grace. That must needs be rich, exceeding rich grace, that pardons innumerable sinnes; as that must be an immense treasure of money that paies as many debts as there be Stars in the Firmament; yea more than that the rich grace of God doth, when he saves a sinner: Will you now frolick in your carnall wantonness, because rich grace will forgive you? it is as if you should cast a Kings pardoning act of grace into the dunghill, or tread it under your feet.
14. You crosse the very end of Pardon, which is the destroying, * not the favouring of sinne; the healing, not increasing the wound; a pious & holy, not an impious and prophane life. Christ never blotted out believers sinnes, that his Pardons might be Indulgences to sinne, but purges: He never put any into a new state of pardon, but he made them new creatures. Sin no more, followed the pardon of the Adulteresse, Joh. 8. 11. Sinne is still the Devils and the fleshes allowance, not Jesus Christs.
15. You contradict the very errand of Christ sent into the world; He came to call sinners to repentance, Mat. 9. 13. not to give them leave to live in sin.
16. You deprive God, what in you lyes, of another of his designs in forgiving sinners: The planting of his holy fear in their hearts not to sin again: There is forgivenesse with thee, that thou mayst be feared, Psal. 130. 4. not that thou mayst be still dishonoured by the old sinnes. Yea what fear, a property of true repentance? 2 Cor. 7. 11. *
17. You deny your selves a choice Gospel blessing, which is the turning of you from your iniquities, Act. 3. 26. Joyfull news to sound hearts to be rid of the power of their tyrannizing sins. *
18. You miss a choice fruit of Christs intercession, which is to give repentance to Israel. Act. 5. 31. One of the great donatives of the Prince of Life, installed in his heavenly glory, a choice Royal gift to fit for Heaven.
19. You divide what God hath joyned together, Remission and*Repentance. Act. 5. 31. Sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus. 1 Pet. 1. 2.
20. You are wholly selfish in your thoughts, hopes, and desires of pardon, would have God blot out your sinnes to serve your own turn, not to serve him; to sinne with a peaceable spirit, not serve him with a pure conscience; That you might not goe to Hell, not that you might be fit for Heaven. O Christians! abuse not upon these accounts pardoning grace: If you doe, and die in this wickedness, be sure these considerations, will like fire flashing about the ears, in the other world, flame upon your consciences, as daring wantons, that have played and sported with Gods pardons. If you say, God forbid we should abuse pardoning grace, we are free from so great a sinne; Take heed you dream not of innocence, where the Word chargeth you with guilt: Surely you play the wantons with pardoning grace, if seven things are verified of you.
21. If you sinne in hope of pardon, which is wretched presumption, * Are you not like those ill nurtured, and impudent children, that are vile and wicked, because they expect their fond and indulgent Parents forgivenesse? or like those Rogues, that rob and steal, because they hope for a Psalm of Mercy? or like those tempters of God, that wound themselves because they look for healing from a soveraign Balsome? What is this expectation of pardon, but a confirmation in sin, and an encourgaement to doe still more wickedly?
22. If after your assurance, that you are pardoned, you boldly, * willingly, and delightingly bid the next temptations welcome, this is in effect as if you should say, Welcome flesh, we are your servants; welcome devil, we are your subjects; welcome world, with all your snares, sinfull pleasures and pollutions, we will refuse none of you, we are out of gun-shot, you can doe us no hurt; we had lately a pardon sent into our bosoms, and now we may have liberty of sport and dalliance; we have a gracious God that will forgive us, and a suretie who will pay all our debts: If this be your case, do you not clearly affront pardoning grace?
23. If your design of desiring and obtaining pardon be onely * to have a quiet conscience, but not a good one, you can very well bear the obstruction, the rebellion, the pollution of your sinnes, but onely dread their damnation. If the use you make of pardons, is onely that you may not be troubled, not that you may be holy, here is evident injury to Pardoning grace.
24. When you goe on in sin, after thoughts of pardon, you * have no sincere love to Jesus Christ. Many rest in hopes, yea some in assurances, they are forgiven, who yet never heartily loved the Lord Christ. They never had a love to labour for his name. Revel. 2. 3. to prize his presence, Psal. 16. 8. to stoop to his strict spiritual Government, Mich. 5. 2. to regard his image, to be living Saints, Rom. 8. 29. To have evill, Psal. 119. 104. An eminent, yet pardoned sinner, will prove this high abuse of pardoning grace: Much was forgiven her, for she loved much, Luk. 7. 47. She could not but answer love for love. If you that write your selves down in your quiet consciences, absolved persons, love not the Lord Jesus, you are worse than Publicans, they love those that love them. Mat. 5. 46. If a liberal creditor should freely forgive all your debts, could you deny your lovelesse carriage to him is an high abuse of his goodnesse? Should you hate your suretie, conscience would tell you his love should be abused. Thus doe you deal with God your creditor, Christ your suretie, you disgrace the pardoning grace you thinke you have from them, when you hate the Father and the Sonne, yea abhorre the guiding your hearts and lives by the Spirits motions.
25. If after thoughts of obtained pardon, you have no tender * conscience, no mournings, weepings, meltings of love, of Gospel joy for Absolution, no serious sense of the dishonourable evill, even of pardoned sinne, no watchfull, fearefull thoughts of the next transgression, no sorrowfull apprehension of renewed sin. When you came over a narrow bridge, and very hardly saved your life, are not you tender of comming that way again? You have narrowlie scaped hell, doe you think pardoning grace hath kept you off it? O where is your tendernesse of sinning there again, where you had been almost plunged into the bottomlesse pit. An heart hardned in sin, after thoughts of granted forgivenesse, is an evident wrong to this Gospel grace.
26. If after thoughts of getting a pardon you have no holy * shame for your sinnes: Mary Magdalen was pardoned, but in an holy shame shee stood behind her Saviour, Luk. 7. 38. The absolved Romans were ashamed, even of their pardoned sinnes, Rom. 6. 21. Ye are now, said the Apostle, ashamed of them. Ingenious children of God are ashamed, when renewing repentance in their Fathers presence, they looke over the black roll even of pardoned sinnes. Surely you that have impudent reflections on your conceited sinnes, yea have no shame to keep you off from renewed and pleasing sins, do much disparage pardoning grace.
27. If after thoughts your sins are pardoned, you cannot, you * will not pardon others, not your enemies, not your friends, not your joynt professors of the same heavenly faith and hope, not your loving reprovers, not your hearty intercessors at the throne of grace for you. Are you indeed pardoned that cannot pardon? Pardon of sin is an eminent part of Gospel-glory. True believers are changed into it, 2 Cor. 3. 18. When they see how much they are forgiven, they cannot but forgive; when they see an hundred debts are forgiven, will they strain at it to forgive one? Yea when God forgives a thousand to one, shall they not blot out a few? I dare boldly say, Those that take it for granted their sins are pardoned, that are implacable, that write wrongs in marble, not in the dust, be their confidences never so high, do both un-Christian, and un-Man themselves.
28. They strip themselves of Christianity. Its a choice, and hard rule to flesh and blood to forgive enemies; but this is neglected, despised. How can you say, Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, when your consciences tell you, that you cannot forgive? you doe not so much pray for, as curse your selves; as if you should say, Lord forgive not my sinnes, for I will not forgive others. Doe we not read the example of Christ, that forg•ve his enemies; He prayed for it, Father forgive them, Luk. 23. 34. this difficult piece of Christianity was in Stephen, Act. 7. 50. That choice Apostolical precept to the Colossians, As Christ forgave you, so also do ye, Col. 3. 13. And is it Christianity never to forgive nor forget, ever to treasure up wrath and revenge? *
29. They strip themselves of humanity: Even the Law of nature requires forgiveness: We are all the off-spring of Adam, come of one blood, Acts 17. 26. There is a cons•nguinity in all man-kinde: We have kindred with all the children of men: It is therefore the inference of Lactantius: We are all of a blood, and therefore it is to be reputed the greatest wickedness to hate any man, although an hurtful enemy: And upon this natural consideration, enmities between men and men are never to be practised, but ever to be abolished: Inspiration of souls, forming of Bodies from the same common Heavenly Father, speaks us Brethren: The admonition of the universal natural kindred of the World, should allay, yea, and break the spirit of enmity into love; we little consider it, but it is a real truth: When we take revenge of any man, we are revenged of our selves: Every ones flesh is ours: The Prophet Isaias calls every ones flesh our own, Isaiah 58. 7. That thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh: Calvins exposition is pertinent to this purpose: The word flesh is to be noted, whereby the Prophet understands every man, of whom we can behold none, but as in a glass we contemplate our own flesh: It is therefore a part of highest inhumanity, to despise those in whom we are constrained to behold our own likeness: Consider this, all ye Christians, who think your selves safe under the security of Gods pardoning Grace: How have you abused this Gospel-priviledge, whom neither the serious sense of Christianity, nor the common tie of humanity can prevail with to forgive? When you cannot give, nor forgive, reason thus; Shal I not succor and pardon mine own flesh? Shall I both sin against grace and nature? Shall I by my uncharitable and implacable Spirit, sin both against redemption and creation goodness? Such Meditations cannot be too frequent to drive away irreligious and unnatural hardheartedness and revenge out of the spirits of Christians.

SECT. 12.

12. THe Grace of imputed righteousness is turned into wantonness: * Even the everlasting Righteousness, Daniel prophesied, which should be wrought in the Person of the Messiah, Dan. 9. 24. hath had no little Injury in the World: This stupendious Gospel-mystery, That a lost sinner should be justified by anothers righteousness, which is the holy Angels wonder, and will be glorified Saints ravishing admiration, hath been ill intreated, even of professed Christians. And lest the charge seem too general, I shall clear it in two particulars: The Grace of imputed Righteousness is wronged, when this is abusively pleaded against inherent Righteousness: When inherent Righteousness is foolishly and perilously rested on for salvation, without imputed Righteousness: The former is a plain Libertine in wickedness, the latter doth play the wanton with Christs goodness.
13. The grace of imputed righteousness is abused, when it is * pleaded against inherent righteousness: This is an easie and common cheat: Corrupt flesh, and the arch Deceiver, can easily please the Fancy, and perswade the Judgement, that the fair hand of Grace hath put the rich and large Robe of Christs Personal Righteousness, on the leprous and unmortified Body of sin; yea, that this holy cover is so thick, that in the absurd Antinomian, God doth not so much as see Believers sins; as if one Divine Attribute had swallowed up another, his mercy his omniscience: Now when the loose sinner can say the Lord is his righteousness, he believes himself in a state of Grace, as if now nothing could indanger his immortal Soul, and he had enough for Glory: If unregenerate nature give the deceived Transgressor the largest line and scope, to live in sinful lusts, pleasures, and idolized sensualities, and the Conscience begin to grumble in the free choice affections and pursuances of sinful courses; This is ever the remedy at hand: We are all sinners: This is our infirmity: Christ died for us: Hath satisfied his Fathers justice: He is our righteousness: Thus while they plead to Christs legal righteousness without them, they live without Christs Gospel righteousness within them. It is enough for them they are justified above, they seek not to be sanctified within, as if there were not need as well of an Evidence to Salvation by inherent righteousness, as of a Title to eternal life by imputed righteousness: This great abuse of the glorious imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, in opposition to inherent, and the singular peril to be lost for ever, that they are in, who are contented with a bare imputed righteousness, will appear in seven things: As,
14. No glory will redound to God in such a contentment: Can the free gift of Christs perfect obedience, made over to the sinner, have the glory of praise, when it hath the infamy of this dishonor? This heavenly Robe is purposely put on the most licentious persons, to hide them, not to amend them: Though there be no absolute change from the state of sin, to the dominion of sanctifying Grace: Though the state of total unregeneracy, be enmity to the holiness of Christ and his Gospel: Sins servants, are Heavens darlings, by the favor of a pretended imputation: Can God have the glory of bringing forth much fruit, while there is no implantation in Jesus Christ? Iohn 15. 5. Can God be honored in his Sons honor, John 5. 23. and magnified in the glorifying of his name, 2 Thess. 1. 12. when there is no new nature to honor him, but the predominant old man to abuse him? A solitary imputed righteousness without, is wronged without a righteousness within: God misseth of his honor where these are put asunder.
15. No honor will be to the Gospel: Bare appropriating Christs obedience, will not secure the glorious Gospel from that unrighteousness and unholiness, that licentious wickedness would pin upon it: This part of Gospel, Christ is our righteousness, the flesh will like; but that part of it, The Justified must be holy, penitent, mortified, it cannot endure: It pleasingly believes the Gospel is to them the power of God unto salvation, though it never was the power of God unto Conversion. It is a Gospel Precept, we should walk as becomes the Gospel, Phil. 1. 27. Can an unregenerate man so walk? Can night Birds abide the noon Light? Can Children of darkness walk as children of light? Can they be thought translated into the Kingdom of Christ, that are strongly kept and abide in Satans Kingdom? No confidences of imputed righteousness can keep a wicked man from an infamous un-gospel life: When his corruptions break out, the Gospel suffers: Then Satan jeers in his Instruments; These are your Professors; These are your Gospellers, as if the holy Gospel gave liberty to sin: But nothing less, for as it proclaims imputed righteousness, so on pain of damnation it requires inherent.
16. No thankful return will be to Jesus Christ: The gift and benefit of everlasting righteousness, deserves everlasting thanks: It was never yet known, that an unsanctified person was thankful to Jesus Christ: He challengeth cordial, verbal, vital thanks, but all this is above the reach of unregeneracy: A carnal person can complement Christ with the cheap praise of the lips, but his soul, and all that is within him, Psal. 103. 1. His conversation can never bless him: He wants the Gospel-power of an holy and a righteous life.
17. No reputation will be to Faith: Indeed it hath the honor to be the Grace that lays hold on Christs perfect Righteousness; but this is not its onely office, It sanctifies as well as justifies, Acts 26. 18. Rom. 5. 1. It purifies as well as pacifieth the heart, Acts 15. 9. Rom. 5. 1. The Just lives by it, as well religiously, Hab. 2. 4. as safely and peaceably, Mark 5. 34. and is not onely freed by it from the guilt but the filth of sin: The name of Faith divided from holiness, hath this aspersion and dis-reputation, to be stiled a vain faith, a dead faith, Jam. 2. 20. a faith like the Devils faith, Jam. 2. 19.
18. No conviction will be to unbelievers: Can the Christ rejecting World, be drawn to own and love such pretenders to interest in his perfect righteousness, who live unrighteously: They are apt to think the happiness of this imputation is but a fancy and a fable, that produceth not shining and glorious fruits: When they that for Christs sake stand righteous in Gods account, arise and shine, and the glory of Gods holiness is seen upon them; even wicked men will enquire after Christ, and be constrained to think well of that Master, whose name is so sanctified and illustrious in his servants.
19. No communion will be with the holy God: Were it possible an ungodly Man should be cloathed with Christs righteousness, yet if he have not Christs Spirit, Christs Image, God and such a one could have no fellowship: Communion requires likeness: Contrary natures can have no converse: Two cannot walk together except they be agreed: How can a wicked person, and the pure God walk together?
20. No capacity nor ability of new obedience: Suppose a Rebel against Christs Crown and Government were justified, yet if he were not sanctified, he could not do the will of God, 1 Pet. 1. 2. Till sanctifying Grace subdue the natural rebellion of the heart, Gods commands will be laid aside; as if a Traytors heart be changed, he will be subject to his Prince; if unreformed, he will still rebel.
21. The Grace of imputed righteousness is abused; When * inherent righteousness is rested on for salvation, without imputed righteousness. This is one of Satans wiles to ruine souls: If there be appearing strictness in the ways of holyness, and godliness be deemed a sufficiency for eternal life, so that Christs perfect righteousness be cast out of the Saint-like Professors Creed, and the great weight of the souls confidence of happiness, laid on the sandy foundation of imperfect obedience, then the great title to eternal life, Imputed righteousness, is shouldred out and abused. The largest tale of duties, and sharpest sufferings of this life, cannot make up a compleat righteousness. When personal, deficicient performances, will wantonly get up into the throne, and justle out the absolute obedience of Christ: This setting up of a weak righteousness within, above Christs perfect one without, will to the hazard of the guilty sinners perishing, fail in seven things.
22. There will be no pacification of an angry God: No gracious hearts nor godly lives atone God. Christs Sacrifice onely was Propitiatory: We joy in the Atonement, said the Apostle, Rom. 5. 11. but by Christs death. The highest measures of Believers doings or sufferings, cannot turn away Gods wrath for the least sin: It was Jobs Faith, when a penitent sinner seeth his righteousness, he seeth his atonement, Job 33. 23, 24. That is onely by Christ, not a Believer: His own Prayers, Tears, Alms, Duties, do not pacifie God, but the righteousness of Christ. It is a common practical error, we will be weeping and doing to turn away Gods avenging displeasure: For though these duties are means appointed by God, yet we must look through them unto Jesus Christ.
23. There will be no satisfaction of Gods Justice: Sin hath done infinite wrong: Justice would have an infinite reparation: Now it is impossible that finite doings and sufferings can make infinite satisfaction: A rest then in failing inherent holiness, at once leaves infinite Justice unsatisfied, and souls unsaved, Who of the best can tell that he hath done and suffered enough to make God amends for his sins, yea for the least sin?
24. There will be no proportion to the rigid Laws requiries; It will not abate one Law nor Circumstance of Duty: The Law is exceeding broad. The eminentest of Saints that have studied the Law, and their own hearts and lives, could never bring before God an exact obedience parallel to command: Had not Christ perfectly fulfilled the Law, the exactest Christians could have no grounded hope of Heaven. The Law would say even to a Paul, Here is much wanting; He durst not expect Justification from the unparalell’d services, sufferings, and success of his Apostleship; I know nothing by my self, yet am I not thereby justified. 1 Cor. 4. 4. The Lord Christ his personall duty is beleevers perfect righteousness, not their own sanctification.
25. There will be no escaping the curse of the Law: Christ crucified was made a curse for his people. Galat. 3. 13. that they might not be accursed. Their services and penalties are no deliverances from Gods curse, which unremoved will flame in everlasting burnings. All beleevers have infinite reason to say, The Lord Jesus, not their own Graces, hath delivered them from the wrath to come.
26. There will be no refuge against conscience stormes, in a * trusted-in righteousnesse of graces. Bare inherent holynesse, failing and polluted, with corrupt mixtures, cannot secure a tempted soul by the Laws arrests, the accusing conscience, and Satans indictments. This subtle and potent pleader will drive assaulted Christians from the weak holds of their pettie performances, yea bring them to the brink of despair, untill they run to the Cross of Christ, and get within the invincible and royal Fort, Christs imputed Righteousnesse: This is the Saints refuge against their sharpest temptations, and conscience-stormes. Heb. 9. 12, 14. and 10. 2.
27. There will not be a sufficient Argument, utterly to strip believers from all glorying in themselves about a perfect Righteousnesse: Would our own bare obedience be a current title to glory, beleevers might wantonly applaud themselves, and dance about their high duties, as the Israelites about their Golden Idol, they might commend themselves, and boast in heart, for the glory of their holynesse, their Prayers, Tears, Alms, Mortification, as they are too apt to do. But when they know and beleeve the Lord * Christ is made Righteousness unto them, there was not so much as a good thought either in them, or from them contributed, to the making of this glorious robe imputed righteousness; now they are denyed all glorying in themselves. As to their perfect legal obedience, they onely glory in Jesus Christ: He is of God made our righteousnesse, that according as it is written, he that gloryeth let him glory in the Lord, 1 Cor. 2. 30, 31.
28. There will be no sure title to eternal life. The perfect and infinite righteousness of the God-man Jesus Christ, is an equivalent intitling purchase, to the Gospels infinite reward of the next life. As God is just and a justifier of beleevers, so he is just and will be their glorifier, Rom. 3. 26. 2 Tim. 4. 8.

Let these things be a warning to all those that would secure their hopes, confidences, and joyes of salvation, from miscarrying, to study that righteousnesse, which will fully and equally answer the demands of infinite justice, and as to a justified estate from the guilt of sin, to account their imperfect obedience, polluted, defective, yea as dung, compared with the complere personal righteousnesse of Jesus Christ: But alass! this error is too common, yea too much an error in reall Christians, very ignorant of the mystery of an imputed Righteousnesse, to lay either the whole, or the greatest weight on a weak foundation. The Philosophers spake much of virtue, but their external shining virtues were headless virtues, because they were without the knowledge and worship of the true God; so were it possible that an unjustified person should eminently shine in all the graces of the Spirit, and be voted the none-such of the Age in contempt of the world, mortification, and new obedience; these graces would be headless graces: Christ would profit him nothing in his choicest doings and sufferings, while his active and passive obedience is nor a sinners infinite, compleat, and everlasting righteousnesse.

SECT. 13.

13. GLoryfying grace in the hopes and confidences thereof is * turned into wantonnesse. It is called the grace of life, 1 Pet. 3. 7. and eternal life is the gift of God. Rom. 6. 23. The crown of Glory is a crown of Free Grace, adorned with that most orient Pearl, the imputed Righteousnesse of Christ, and the Jewels of the graces of the Spirit, in their most perfect splendour and exercise, that stand with the full fruition of God. It is Grace that rewards Grace with Glory: It is Grace that beginneth, increaseth, and consummates Grace: Now many hope for gloryfying grace, who almost but hope for heaven? Who that have most just cause to feare, yet are afraid in the serious and sad dwelling thoughts of their condition, they are in eminent danger of Hell? Instead of the blessed hope, or hope of blessednesse, the regular and warrantable expectation of glorifying grace, there is a common hope and a cursed hope of Satans suggestion, and corruptions entertainment, though men continue in their sinnes they shall have heaven at length. This hope never purifyed the heart and life, 1 Joh. 3. 3. but will prove to them that trust in it, like the thin and weak webb to the spider, be swept away with the besom of destruction: An evill conscience*is the most dangerous companion of Hope. Because many hope to be saved in the way of ruin, their diseases become incurable, like foolish patients that conclude health from that which increaseth their disease, and hastneth their death. Carnal hopes might have been cured by conditionall despair, that ever soules should be saved, while false hopes are rested in. An hope of life in the paths of death, is destruction to the soul. A despair of ever getting good by such an hope, might make men looke out for better hopes, and more saving securities. There are doubtlesse many that will in the other world curse their irrationall, unscripturall, and groundlesse hopes of Heaven. A Prince hopes to wear his Fathers Crown, How doth he abuse his hopes by living like a scullion, and consorting with beggars: Dishonourable imployments are below Royal state. Many hope to wear the white robes of glory, Rev. 3. 4, 5. and yet embrace dunghill lusts and courses, live dishonourably and abusively under their high expectations. These resemble the Lapwing (accounted an Emblem of infelicity) which feeds on dung, though it weares a Coronet on its head. In the common abused hope of glory, Hope is put out of office; the springs of Hope are not regarded; the work of hope is not done; the properties of Hope are not to be found.
14. Hope is put out of office.

It hath the office of a setling Anchor in heaven, in tempestuous and troublesome times. But the vulgar hope, though it pretend heaven for its hold, casts Anchor only among the creatures of which is worse, among the Devils, staying and strengthning it self in their counsels and lusts.

It hath the office of a saving refuge, against Afflictions, Desertions, Temptations, Corruptions, Heb. 6. 18. The carnal hope   of glory hath no City of Refuge but below, viz. Wits, Riches, Friends, Honours, &c.

It hath the office of purging water, which makes inside and * outside clean: The false hope of heaven, wallows Swine-like in the filthinesse of flesh and spirit, layes in the mire of wickedness, but riseth not out.

It hath the office of a diligent servant; It looks for an heavenly reward, and it serves God day and night, Act. 26. 6, 7. But the bare fancy of the hope of glory, is content to serve the world, flesh, and devill. It looks for an heavenly harvest, and yet follows Satans Plow, and soweth to the flesh. Gal. 6. 8.

It hath the office of a comforting cordial: Good hope through Grace is the hearts comforter: But the feigned hope of glory gives no more real comfort than the dream of a cordial doth a sleeping or dying man. Carnal hopes never drinks out of the cup of heavenly consolations; no draughts really please them but of earthly solaces. Thus doe unregenerate men, what ever they think, put the hope of glory out of office; so in the common abused hope of glory.

2. The springs of hope are not regarded.

The Free grace of God is a Spring of Hope. Good hope through Grace, 2 Thes. 2. 16. But loose spirits are as much strangers to the glory, puritie, and power of Free grace, as true Hope. They have not good hope through grace, but ill hope, through presumption. The holy Ghost is a spring of hope, that ye may abound in hope by the holy Ghost, Rom. 15. 13. But un-Gospel wantons have their hopes from the evil spirits suggestion, not the good spirits inspiration.

The perfect righteousness of Christ is a spring of hope: The hope of righteousness, Gal. 5. 5. But the dreamers of Heavenly hopes, take the rise of their high hopes from their opinionative righteousness, their good meanings, good works, as they think, & external either moralities outward, or religious exercises, or both.

Justifying Faith is a Spring of hope. Rom. 5. 1, 2. The hope of glory grows out of it. But the vaine barren hope of Glory issues from self-sufficiencie. As it comes not from a justified estate, so neither doth it shew any evidence of sanctifying Grace.

The Promise is a Spring of Hope. The Hope of the Promise, Act. 26. 6. but lying hope of glory never sprang from any Gospel-promise.  For the promises have a cleansing virtue. 2 Cor. 7. 1. The hope of the wicked hath none.

The Love of God shed abroad in the heart, is a spring of Hope: It makes not ashamed from the sweet sense of divine love, Rom. 5. 5. But a sensual, brutish hope of glory never felt the sweet pleasures of Gods love. They that are acquainted with the Paradise delights of it, are not wont to run a whoring after creature sportings, much lesse after sinfull joyes. The glorious feastings of the delicious, eternal, distinguishing Love of God in renewed soules, have a mortifying virtue of pleasing vanities below.

Gracious Experience is a Spring of Hope. Experience worketh Hope. Rom. 5. 4. The Experience of Regenerating Grace, of those sweet whispers, Thy person is accepted, Fear not, I am thy God, Christ is made to thee Wisdome, Righteousnesse, Sanctification, and Redemption, of the mighty awe of Gods presence in the soul, of hating vain thoughts, of cleansing from secret sins, of sealing of promises, of victory over corruption, and much more, work renewed hopes of glory, that God will both perfect and reward his own work. The filthy streames of a dissolute hope of heaven, that are strangers to these pure springs, betray their impure originalls. The unclean spirit, the filthy heart, the worlds pollutions, are the common abused Hope of Glory.

3. The Work of Hope is not done.

The work of Hope is to work patient and diligent continuance in well-doing: We desire you to shew diligence to the full of assurance of hope unto the end, Heb. 6. 11. But Hypocrites most heavenly hopes are both impotent and transient, they neither communicate strength, nor will they hold out; they have short breath, lame legs, and withered hands; and are a meer vapour, a fancie, and worke no diligence, nor perseverance in the waies of Godlyness.

True Hope will work the soul out of the vanities, dependancies, inordinate rejoycings of earthly Hope. Job had the hope of glory before his eyes; hence he was assured, that hee should see his Redeemer; this swallowed up earthly hopes; If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold thou art my confidence. If I rejoyced because my wealth was great, &c.  Job 31. 24, 25. But the dissembled Hopes of Glory never dead the heart to the vaine trusts and joyes of earthly Hopes, when these are gone, those have no estate in the other world.

It is the work of Hope to work up the soul to the infinite Riches, Pleasures, and Honours that are above: The Hope that is laid up for you in heaven, Col. 1. 5. But the adulterate hopes of heaven shew their falsenesse. Reall worldlings hopes under Gospel pretensions, are fastned onely to perishing things, and must perish like themselves.

It is the work of Hope to succour the hearts of fainting beleevers, to strengthen the feeble knees, as a good daughter helps a sickly mother: When Faith, the Mother Grace, is ready to faint, Hope the daughter lends it a supporting hand, and sayes, hold out Faith. There is an expected end of corruptions and afflictions: Look Faith, O look within the heavenly vayl, even Holy of Holyes. Conflicts are sharp, O Faith see thy Crowns: Wants are many, O Faith see thy Supplies. The race of obedience is tiresome, O Faith see thy Prize: Now there is sowing in tears, O Faith see thy joyes: The sweet countenance of God is clouded, O Faith see his eternal smiles: Beleevers are tossed with the waves of doubtings, despondencies, sometimes despair, O Faith see thine unshaken assurance, and everlasting rest. But the easie, false-hearted hopes, of notional Christians, can never succour their fainting Faiths. At best their Faith was but fancy, their confidence presumptuous; and when their false faiths expire, their groundless hopes are gone too. Ah miserable selfdeceivers, that wrong the Faith, and Hope of Glory, In the common abused hopes of Glory.

4. The Properties of Hope are not to be found.

The Hope of Glory is a regenerated Hope. Begotten to a lively Hope. 1 Pet. 1. 3. It is one of the new births graces: The Hope of Unregeneracie then is a spurious hope. New hopes never grow out of the old soyle. The Hope of Glory is an high born grace, its pedigree is abused, when a vile, sensual, wicked life, a bastard issue is laid at its doors.

The Hope of Glory is an Active Hope. High hopes oyl the wheels of motion. Hopes of great Matches, Pardons, Liberty, sweetest earthly Pleasures, Riches, Crowns, shake off sluggishness.   A reall Christian hath the highest hopes, and this makes him goe, yea run the wayes of Gods Commandements. Too many abuse the hopes of glory: They are negligent, lazy, indifferent, yea opposers in the methods and unpleasing services of Gospel Hope. What doe most that hope for Heaven doe to get it? Where are their wrestlings at the Throne of Grace? Where their self-denyals? Where their Fightings in Spiritual Armes against their corruptions? Where are their Conquests? Where their labours of Love? Where their zealous pursuances of their own, and others salvation? Where the diligent improving of their general and particular calling for the glory of God? Where their working out their salvation with fear and trembling? Where their giving all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure? Where is their making Religion their businesse to be found? Most have the hopes of heaven, but they are drowsie, idle, have no power of godlyness. These in an especial manner are the Abusers of true Hope.

The Hope of Glory is a Rejoycing Hope: We rejoice in the Hope of Glory, Rom. 5. 2. When the Perspective of Faith hath fetched in the farre distant blessed objects of Eternity, hath realized, and substantialized them to the soul, so that Faith saith to Hope, I see the glory of Heaven, I see the infinite rewards of sound Christians, I see the infinite pleasures, and satisfactions, and ravishing joys of those blessed Citizens above: Then saies Hope, I look for them, I expect them with unspeakable joy, I wait for their Revelations and Fruitions. A real Christian will not part with the joyes of his Hopes for a thousand worlds. He is incomparably richer in hopes than worldlings are in hand; but a delusive hope of glory continually joyned with joyous, solitary, worldly hopes, is a stranger to the joyes of heavenly hopes. The Hypocrite hath the fancy, but never the reallitie of these hopes. The joyes of these do not in him out-joy the joyes of earthly hopes, they doe not lighten and sweeten the losse of worldly expectations: Experience will prove it of unsound pretenders to their rejoycing hopes of Glory. That if their hopes and the joy of their hopes below are gone, they have no rejoycing hopes above.

The hope of Glory is a Lust denying hope. The grace of God teacheth us the deniall of worldly lusts, looking for that blessed hope.  11. 12, 13. As pilgrims and strangers here (and therefore looking for your heavenly countrey) abstain from fleshly lusts. 1 Pet. 2. 11. Ye shall appear with Christ in glory: Mortifie therefore your fleshly lusts, fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, your inordinate affections, the root of all evill concupiscence. Col. 3. 4, 5. They then that obey sin in the lusts thereof, Rom. 6. 12. that walk after their own lusts, their ungodly lusts, as these wantons in Jude did. Epist. Jud. v. 16, 18. and live and die in them, and yet hope for heaven, they clearly contradict Scripture, that the servants of carnall lusts shall not inherit the kingdome of God, 1 Cor. 6. 9. That the wicked shall be turned into hell, Psal. 9. That the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience, Col. 3. 6. That Libertines, that count it pleasure to riot in the day time of Gospel light, The Churches spots and blemishes, not jewels, sporting themselves with their own deceivings, in their fearelesse feastings, adulterous infectious examples, covetous, impenitent, shall perish in their corruption, and receive the reward of unrighteousness, 2 Pet. 2. 12, 13, 14. That what a man soweth, that shall he reap, if to fleshly lusts, an harvest of eternall torments; if to the spirit, a rich crop of eternall life. Gal. 6. 7, 8. All these eternal Truths that divine Justice will infallibly make good, Lust-pleasers, not denyers, nourishers, not crucifiers, doe blot out by their unchanged hearts, dissolute lives, and reall unbelief. The slaves of their absurd, unreasonable, ungodly lusts, doe in effect and interpretation speak these blasphemies, God is an holy and righteous God, and he will reward our unrighteousness and unholynesse with eternall life. When we play the wantons with our lusts, we think God and our selves alike: Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self, Psal. 50. 21. That God hath not so pure a nature, and pure eies. Hab. 1. 13. but when hee seeth sin, he likes it well enough, he delights in wickedness: Ye say every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them, or where is the God of judgment? Mal. 2. 17. That the Word of God is false, that godliness is true gain, that the righteous onely go into eternal life, that there is danger in sin, that the wanton abuses of Gods grace perish in their corruption, that the blackness of darkness for ever is reserved for them: Thus doth Lust-favouring and pampering Hope, abuse the Hope of Glory.

  

The Hope of Glory is a well living Hope. The saving grace of God teacheth us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; looking for the blessed hope, &c. Tit. 2. 12, 13. I have hope towards God, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust, and herein doe I exercise my self, to have alwaies a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men. Act. 24. 15, 16. He that hopes for the full summe, is glad of the assuring earnest; hee that would have the full harvest, is pleased with the first fruits. The hope of glory that rejoyceth to thinke of the eternal summe and harvest of holyness, is carefull to get, and joyfull to obtain the earnest and first fruits of the Spirit of grace. But the common, absurd, foolish hope of glory, expects an heavenly, eternal summe, when it hath no earnest here; looks for an eternal harvest, when the first fruits are neglected and despised; it pleasingly dreams to live happily with God in glory, when it never lived holily with God in grace.

The hope of Glory is an Affliction-enduring, and sanctifying Hope. For this Hope the Apostle Paul was called in question, Act. 23. 6. Judged, Act. 26. 6. Accused, v. 7. Imprisoned, chained, Act. 28. 20. suffered any persecution with patience, contentment and joy: For the hope of the Resurrection, he took pleasure in his infirmities. As the hope of Riches makes the Merchant * crosse the Seas at any hazard, even to the utmost Indies, and of victory, which makes the Souldier endure, hunger, cold, watching, blows, and wounds. It’s hope of gain maketh the industrious Tradesman to be up early, encounter all Highway storms. It’s hope of a good crop maketh the painfull Husbandman to endure Winters cold, and Summers heat. It’s hopes of Crowns which maketh the ambitious run the hazard of losing their liberties and lives, and undoing their families, to hew out their way to Soveraignty by bloody deaths, that stare them in the faces: So the heavenly expectations of immortall Riches, Victories, Pleasures, Crownes, are Affliction-enduring hopes: But the Imaginary hopes of Glory, are cowardly, effeminate, soft, lascivious, and are founded in pollicy, not in piety; measured by the interests of the body, not the soul, are pleased with the fair, not the foul weather in heavens way. They engage in the Christian Warfare no further th•n the flesh may be pleased, a safe retreat to the world may be obtained; and this   counterfeit hope in trying hardships, is ever offended in Christ, Mat. 13. 57. One hard saying or another, and unpleasing religious severities, make Christianity a scandal: The voluptuous professor turns from the power of it, and in time of temptation falleth away.

CHAP. IV. Shewing when a Sinner turneth the Grace of God into wantonness.

THis may be known in all the thirteen Sections of the foregoing Chapter: But because the fullest discovery that can be, to strip naked this hideous Monster, Abuse of Grace, next to the unpardonable sin, the worst of sins will all be little enough: I shall therefore more fully shew, when a sinner may be concluded, even in the Judgement of his own inlightned Conscience, to turn the Grace of God into wantonness.

This Scarlet Transgressor doth so, when he carrieth wickedly in reference to Sin, God, Christ, the Law, Gospel, and the Creatures.

SECT. 1.

IN reference unto sin, there is wantonizing against Grace, in * four things.

1. When the heart is careless of sin, doth not cast about which way to avoid it; but if the coat of Profession be stained with it, if the heart be a sink of uncleanness, if the hands be defiled, the daring sinner makes no matter of it; as if God in testifying his Grace, should give liberty to cast off all care of avoiding offence: The Apostle hath recorded other things, of the truly Christian repenting Corinthians, mentioning their carefulness to admiration: Behold what carefulness your godly sorrow hath wrought in you? 2 Cor. 7. 11. What sollitude and diligence not to fall into the old sin? But it may be said of many l•s•ivious spirits, Behold, they dwell carelesly, as the men of Laish did. Temptations, like the children of Dan, may invade, plunder, and spoil them, Judg. 18. They care not for their precious souls, though they perish: But the Lord will deal with them, as he said he would with Magog, send a fire among them that dwell carelesly in the Isles, Ezek. 39. 6. The ease of these simple ones will slay them, Prov. 1. 32. Though they are careful to secure their fleshly, worldly interest, and wholly careless of the main concernments of the glory of God, their own salvation, and the honor of Gospel Grace: God will be careful to exalt his own Name, in avenging the dishonors of his Grace.

SECT. 2.

2. WHen the heart is fearless of sin, there is a loose Libertine: * It is one of the Characters of these wantons in the Text, They fed themselves without fear, Jude ep. v. 12. No wonder they were disolute, when fearless Spirits: Job was afraid, that when the goodness of God had provided Feasts for his children, the Devil should be paid the shot; Lest they should sin, and curse God in their hearts, Job. 1. 5. Therefore he sent and sanctified them, and offered up sacrifice for them, that in the name of Christ his Redeemer, their sins might be expiated and forgiven them: But fearless Sensualists, eat and drink, and sin with and against the Creatures, but fear no hurt; yea, What fear was said of the repenting Corinthians, 2 Cor. 7. 11. What fearlesness may be said of loose persons? They are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities, 2 Pet. 2. 10. to set their mouths against Heaven: They speak wickedly and loftily, not tremblingly concerning oppression, Psal. 73. 8. They fear not to sin in lawful things, never regulating their use by expediency, and the grace of Temperance, and so wantonly dance on the pits brink; fall from lawful allowances, to unlawful things: They fear not the reckoning day, like loose Debtors, while they spend on the stock of their Creditors Estate, and patience: Well were it for these, if awakened out of the deadly Lethargy of this carnal Security, they would hearken * to the counsel one giveth, Fear for this reason, because you have found the want of fear.

  

SECT. 3.

3. WHen the heart is sorrowless for sin; As an offence to * God, an unkindness to Christ, a defilement to the Spirit an obstruction to fellowship with the holy God; and upon Gospel considerations of spiritual Ingenuity, and love to the Lord, hath not a broken heart, and a contrite melting Spirit, in close Soliloquy with God by meditation and supplication; but is as hard as an Adamant, without all mournings and relentings, upon the forecited grounds; Here is clear abusing of Gods Grace: It was never offered to harden, but soften the heart, as it did the hearts of Peter, Matth. 26. 75. Mary Magdalen, Luke 7. 38. and humble Paul, Rom. 7. 24, 25. O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? Thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved, Jer. 5. 3. God strikes wicked, rocky hearts, with Afflictions, Reproofs, •errors, smitings of the Conscience, fears of Hell; but their sorrows are not to be discerned, but hypocritical, or slavish and brutish, which vanish when the smart is off. * These are strangers to godly sorrow, which worketh out the loveliking delight, the reign of sin: While Gods mourners are in secret, and looking over their sins with heavy hearts and weeping eyes. They are wantonly leaping and triumphing in the hellish mirth of sporting in sin, Prov. 10. 23. Taking pleasure in unrighteousness, 2 Thess. 2. 12. It is a clear evidence, that they who never had true Gospel mourning for sin, or have forsaken * the exercise of it, or think it needless, or scoff at it (as if there were no Scriptures: Blessed are they that mourn: Godly sorrow works repentance: A broken heart, O God, thou wilt not despise;) are wanton abusers both of the time and Grace of Repentance.

SECT. 4.

4. WHen the heart is powerless over sin, there is a licentious abuse of Grace: Surely Grace is victorious, and will in time, in the conscientious and spiritual use of means, rout the powers of Hell. Satan, before the rescue of Grace comes, bindes his Captives fast in the chains of their own sins; But, when they are broken, he hath lost his prey; and the tyrannizing Prince of the world, John 14. 30. That hath the power of binding; lost sinners, under the power of the spiritual death, and guilt of eternal, Heb. 2. is cast out, in the merits and power of infinite redemption, John 12. 31, 32. Grace is not a shadowy, but real war, though it be often worsted, yet it rallies again, and by the renewed Auxiliary Forces of Divine power, it beats down strong corruptions before it. What injury is it to Grace, to contemplate, but never practice Mortification; to profess the Christian warfare, but never to fight; or in undue arms, or without skill to put on Gods Armor, or to sleep in them, or to lay them by, or to run to the enemy, and so to do no execution on carnal Lusts and Affections? What is this, but to disparage, and endeavor, what in us lies, to degrade Divine Power, from the glory of its victorious ability, as if the contracted corruption from the first Adam, could still be too hard for the Grace of the second? How doth a powerless profession over sin, proclaim it self a stranger to the mighty Arm of the Prince of Grace, never feeling the power of these truths: Christ brings forth judgement unto victory, Matth. 12. 20. Greater is he that is in victorious Believers, than he that is in the world, 1 Joh. 4. 4. Are there not many among us that have notions, fancies, expressions of Grace, yea, infused, gracious, heavenly motions, speaking in them: But do they leave these sins and do these duties, in the fear of God? How can they that are false to their own Convictions, Confessions, and the Holy Ghosts Inspirations? What mocking of God is there in unmortifying profession, as is too legibly to be read in the lives of men? Doth not all the Grace of vain, idle opinionative Christians, that seems to be expressed in Prayer ex tempore, or of set forms; in appearing to be taken, with gracious examples, Sermons, Chapters, good Books, and Conference, evacuate into lazy Speculation, and powerless profession? In holy duties of worship, there seems to be Evangelical Grace; but in the frame of the heart and course of life, in dealings with men in Callings, Conditions, Relations; with many there is no being of Grace, and with the gracious, no constant, sufficient, convincing exercise of Grace, a few excepted, that make Religion their business. What a disgrace is put upon the grace of God? What temptation to blaspheming Sons of Belial, that the Grace of God men speak of, is a Fable, a Dream, a Fancy, no Reality? Such do-nothings, or   nothing to purpose, as beat the air in their cold profess•ons, and dead convictions of Gods grace, may bl•sh and be ashamed of their wanton spirits and conversation, when they read these Scriptures: From the day the grace of God was known in truth by*the beleeving Colossians, they brought forth fruit, Col. 1. 6. Wee beseech you receive not the Grace of God in vain, by offensive conversation to God and men, unrepented of. 1 Cor. 6. 1, 3. The Gentiles had their understandings darkened, alienated from the life of God, past feeling, given over to lasciviousnesse, working all uncleannesse with greediness, but you have not so learned Christ. Eph. 4. 18, 19. The grace of God, O holy Ephesians, hath over-powered your hearts to an abhorring, and declining these sinnes, and to walk in the blessed paths of holinesse. Grace acting to purpose in regenerate Zacheus, put him upon liberal contribution to the poor, and honest restitution of ill gotten estate. Luk. 19. 8. When the Gospel came to the Thessalonians, not onely in word, but in power, it enabled them to turn from idols (in the zealous worship and preservation whereof, Idolaters are usually mad. Jer. 50. 38.) to serve*the living and true God. 1 Thes. 1. 5, 9. when the same word of grace took possession of the hearts of them that used curious and Magical Arts, they brought their books together, and burnt them before all men, though they were worth fifty thousand pieces of silver. Act. 19. 19. O shame of the common powerless Christian profession of the Age! The Gospel of grace, by the mighty breathing of the Spirit came near the hearts of Magicians, made them Christians, and open penitents, even to a publick sacrificing of their wicked*books to the flames; but a thousand Sermons of Gospel grace may reach the eare, the fancy, the understanding of professed Christians, but never change the heart to a powerful reformation. Oh that bare Illuminists and verbalists in Religion, that live as if the essentials thereof were onely notions, and words would consider three things.
5. The Kingdom of God stands not in word but power. 1 Cor. 4. 20. Its reall subjects are as well diligent doers, as good speakers: Lay more• stresse on hearts and lives than lips, had rather be than seem to be penitents, rather run in the way of Gods Commandements, than talk of them. A groundlesse intitling to Christ Lord, Lord, will speak no faithfull Subjects of Christ at the great day, why should it now? The kingdom of God is righteousnesse Rom. 14. 17. not onely imputed, but inherent, not onely of Justification but Sanctification. In the Kingdome of grace, all saved Professors have holy hearts and good lives. Satans subjects, though they take Christs Press-mony in Baptisme, use the badges of his Government, yet never did set one foot into Christs kingdome.
6. Such as call Christ their Lord and Saviour, yea often bind their sayings by these words, as they hope to be saved, when they neither rightly understand salvation, nor true hope; yea all Libertines of stricter profession, that have carnall, loose, epicurean hearts, and lives, they are no better than the enemies of Jesus Christ, and self-destroyers. The compassionate Apostle could not but speak of these with teares; They are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, who mind earthly things, Phil. 3. 18, 19. Let them look over this Text, and weep, who either in larger professions, or stricter, but easie religious formalities, are effeminate, delicate, flesh-pleaser, belly-students, and gloriously back-adorners, money-idolaters, almost in nothing denying themselves in their sensualities, they are enemies to the crosse of Christ. Did they * never read, Our Old man was crucified with Christ, Rom. 6. 6. That as corruption was crucified meritoriously on the cross, so it should be crucified efficaciously in the heart? was it not the great design of Christ crucified, that the body of sin should die? are not these enemies to his cross, that pamper it, and keep it alive? Besides are not they enemies to Christs cross, who though they read and cannot deny it that Christ triumphed openly in his bloody passion over his enemies, a World, b Flesh, and c Devil, a Joh. 16. 33. b Rom. 6. 6. c Col. 2. 15. yet by their graceless hearts, and dissolute lives, like Traytors to their professed Lord, restore to his enemies what in them lyes, their vanquished Kingdom, which the Lord Christ died for to destroy in the Crosse.
7. From an holy profession, powerlesse over corruption, the Lord Christ is like to have no followers in the world. Primitive Christians won repute to Christ and his Gospel, not by their shadowy forms, but substantial powers of Godliness. The Apostle Peter exhorted Christian Wives, so powerfully to adorn their Profession, that their lives, as really converting Sermons might win their idolatrous Husbands to Jesus Christ and his Truth. 1 Pet. 3. 1. when powerlesse good speeches doe no good, the practicall power of godlinesse would make converts. When heathens found the christians not onely holy lives, but miraculous power of casting*Devils out of their bodies, they stuck close to that Religion, whose power they felt. Were the lives of christians now adayes shining and convincing, did the miraculous power of casting Devils out of souls appear, not onely the delivered themselves, but prophane observers would magnifie and keep close to that religious profession, whose glorious victorious power is admirably discerned.

SECT. 5.

2. THe grace of God is turned into wantonnesse, when the * sinner carries loosely as to God, hee doth so in four things.
3. When Pretenders to Gods grace, doe not retaine the light of God shining in their minds, so that truths, that would be saving and sanctifying, are imprisoned in unrighteousnesse, and God is not with liking and love in all their thoughts, Psal. 10. 4. He is known, but not glorifyed as God, Rom. 1. 21. By the sin as well of wanton christians as wanton heathens, Gods grace is injured. Impure hearts, and evill lives are sad contradictions to divine informations: Carelesse servants minde not their Masters pleasure, not carelesse Christians the pleasure of God.
4. When the commands of God are cast behind the back, the grace of God is abused. As his Laws are sweetly qualified in Christ, they are all Acts of Grace. God favours us in requiring obedience of us on Gospel tearms: His Laws are known to Jacob, and his Statutes to Israel, he hath not dealt so with any Nation, Psal, 147. 20. To the Israelites pertained the giving of the Law, Rom. 9. 4. Now to cast his gracious pleasure behinde the back, is such an indignitie, as to cast away a Princes gracious Proclamation, wherein his pleasure is sweetned with many acts of grace. God needs not our obedience, we need his commands, and in their obediential service there is not only work but wages. The sweet peace and comfort of sincere gospel duty payes for its performance. In conscionable and spirituall obedience, as God 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 is glorified, so there is great reward, Isa. 49. 4. Psal. 19. 11. What wrong do they to the grace of God, and their own souls, who under the favor of Grace neglect that holy compliance with the Divine Will, which is rewarded with present purity and delight, 1 Pet. 1. 22. Rom. 7. 22. and shall be with promised eternal happiness? Rom. 2. 7. Heb. 6. 12.
5. When there is impudent irreverence in the presence of * God: There is no fear of God in the eyes of daring sinners, Rom. 3. 18. whereas true Grace would put on an holy blush, either to prevent sin, or repent of it: The Philosopher resented modest shamefastness, as virtues colour; and the Scripture accounts of holy shame, as the complexion of Grace: O my God, I am ashamed, and blush to lift up my face to thee, Ezra. 9. 6. so Rom. 6. 21. O our hypocrisie! we that stile the Lord our gracious God, are ashamed of sins before men, but blush not to sin before God: O our slighting of Gods presence! Though we see Gods All-seeing eye upon us, and are convinced, the Lord knoweth, and exactly weigheth our sinful thoughts, reasonings, desires, affections, Perturbations, close Atheisme, irreverence, filthiness, pride, envy, malice, and Books of sinful words, Actions, to be read over again in the great examining and Judging day: yet the audacious sinner will pour out his pollutions before the seen face of God, with a shameless whores forehead,*and a spirit senseless of his severe judgements or prying presense. Too many that go for Gods servants, are like the loose ones of men, that know their gracious Masters eye is before them, yet abuse him, and slight his pleasure before his face; such a frame of spirit speaketh this wickedness, as if such Language were uttered before the Lord: O Lord, thou art my loving Master, but I so little regard thee, that though I know thou feest me, yet I will dissemble, be unclean, passionate, unjust in my dealings, worldly, and follow the swinge of my corrupt lusts in thy sight; such kinde of excuses carry great filth and guilt—But be not deceived, God will not be so mocked.
6. When pretenders to the Grace of God live wholly to themselves, * and not to him; This is an affront to Gods Grace. It is the genuine and proper work of Grace, to live to God: He cannot draw nigh unto him that departs not from himself. Grace is water of life, it is with this, as with other water, it riseth as high as the Spring from whence it came: The God of grace is the spring of grace; this living water runs up to its own Spring: He is the Sea of grace, this sweet stream in a supernatural gratitude, runs into its own Sea. The Lord Christ designed this in his death, that his redeemed ones should not live unto themselves, but to him that died for them and rose again, 2 Cor. 5. 15. But now when carnal Gospellers follow the guidance of their own reason, the imperious Law of their desires and affections, like Israel, bring forth fruit unto themselves, Hos. 10. 1. Center their Religious services, hearing, fasting, praying, reading, for self, not God, Zach. 7. 5. When shining, glorious profession, is but a more unsuspected and politick sacrifice to that grand Idol, Carnal self, either in the whole or main of its services, the grace of God is abused: When all Christians by their profession, should lay out and consecrate themselves wholly to Christ, they are unworthy that the earth should bear them, that do not fully resign and devote themselves to Christ. They are not worthy of the name of men, false to the Law of natural gratitude, that serve not their deliverer; and are not they as unworthy of the name of Christians, false to the Law of supernatural thankfulness, that serve not their professed infinite Redeemer? Pretended favorites of Heaven, are like those selfish Courtiers who abuse their Princes ear, Smiles, Grace, Honors, and Bounty to Chambering and Wantonness, to the greatning of themselves and families, but improve not their Soveraigns Grace to his Honor, the glory of his Crown, the increasing of his Treasure, the establishment of his Dominions; the lively Pictures of them that go for the Spiritual Darlings of Gods Court, who live not to the glorious interest of their Heavenly King, but bias all his gracious dealings, according to the motions of worldly and corrupt * selfishness.

SECT. 6.

3. THe Grace of God is turned into wantonness: When the heart carries wickedly, as to Christ, in three things.
4. When the profuse riotous sinner, runs in Gods Debt, because Christ is his surety: Indeed, upon this truth and rocky foundation, that Christ is the faithful surety of his people, Heb. 7. 22. is built the eternal salvation of his Church: It is the richest, right orient Pearl, in the Gospels Cabinet: A Believer would not be without this everlasting prop and succor to faith, this assured conveyance of eternal happiness for the world: It is dross and dung to this excellent knowledge, Christ is a surety: But to whom, and for what? To refusers and despisers of him? to loose the reins on the neck of lusts? to priviledge the liberties and power of Satan? to sin without controll and remorse? Surely Christ as our surety on the Cross, sustained our person, and*made to his Father an engagement for us, that our old man in time should die, Rom. 6. 6. Yea, in the great agreement of the holy and everlasting Covenant of Grace, there was this part of suretiship, that •e should walk in holy fellowship with God and Christ, by the Spirit, as the friends of God, and therefore it is an intolerable indignity to our heavenly surety, at once to believe him an undertaker, that corruption should die, and to live in sin. This maketh him a surety, and no surety: A surety, in the professed Faith and owning of this suretiship; no surety in the Preservation, and not Mortification of wanton Lusts. Consider this, all ye that sin against the grace of your professed surety, but without his leave, or the least allowance of his Gospel, was a gracious pardon-office, dearly purchased, by the infinite price of the blood of the Son of God, that it should lavish out forgiveness of sins to dissolute livers? Did God decree, and Christ accept of a weighty, costly, and suffering suretiship, that profuse, Iewd Debtors, might spend more freely, merrily, and daringly, on the stock of their sureties satisfactions? Such indignity carnal profession imposeth upon Christs saving undertaking: The Lord invites the humbled, burthened sinner, to accept of*his pardoning mercy, and proud Libertines heap up sin: These spots and dishonors in Christian Assemblies, are like to a young riotous Gallant, that spends largely, in Gaming, Feasting, Whoring, and comfortably stayeth upon this, he shall not be Arrested, not Imprisoned, because he hath a rich surety will pay all: So expensive Libertines give large vent to their corruptions, in their sinful creature-excesses, in their abominable hypocrisies, in their unrighteous dealings, in their idolized sensualities, in their carnal securities, and yet they chear, and fully stay themselves in this Indemnity, the Law shall not arrest them, nor cast   them into the eternal prison of utter darkness, because they have a rich surety, Jesus Christ, who (as they presume) will pay all.
5. When the faith of redemption, by Christ, worketh not * subjection to him, the grace of God is turned into wantonness: Eternal Redemption, is an eternal obligation to service, a bridle to curb our lascivious flesh, not a Feast to feed it: God hath on purpose decreed Christ a Redeemer, that he might be soveraign Lord over all his purchase, as we have dominion over that we pay dear for: Now where redemption by Jesus Christ is preached in common, that the price of his blood was a sufficient ransome to redeem the whole world; there are very few but believe Christ died for them: But how is the mystery and mercy of Redemption abused? the Faith of Redemption worketh not subjection in most professed Christians: They would be saved in their sins, not from their sins. Christ hath redeemed his people out of the hands of their enemies, but they are content to be in them still; He died to rescue them from their vain conversation, 1 Pet. 1. 18. but they are vain, Jam. 2. 20. Walk after vanity, Jer. 2. 5. and shall finde vanity their recompence, Job 15. 31. He was crucified, to deliver from the power of Satan, Heb. 2. 14, 15. but they are still his possession, Eph. 2. 2. as taken Beasts are the Hunters prey, as Prisoners are the Conquerors spoil, to be carried up and down, dealt with at their pleasure, 2 Tim. 2. 25. O that such as are by profession Subjects, and by disposition and conversation Rebels against Christ, would seriously ponder these things.
6. Both the Scriptures and experience of loyal Subjects to Christ, do clearly evidence, that effectual, beneficial Redemption, is proved by subjection; that he died not to redeem us to the life, but death of sin; not that we should live and die in sin, but * live and die in the state and power of Grace.
7. They that believe themselves the redeemed of Christ, and yet are the slaves of their lusts, the vassals of Satan, have either not considered at all, or very slightly, That the proper intention of Redemption was Dominion; Ye are bought with a price, are not your own, your Body and Spirits are Gods, 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20.

  

To this end Christ both died, and rose and revived, that he might*be the Lord both of the dead and living, Rom. 14. 9. Surely no Believer is of his own right, but anothers: His Person is deeply and dearly paid for; now what is bought, passeth into the dominion of the buyer. The ransomed of Christ are Peculium Christi, Christs own possession. It was an holy wish of an holy Writer, O that Christs Lordship, with deepest impressions, might be rooted and fixed in our mindes: The loose depravers of Redemption, run the hazard of perishing, when they refuse to be Christs possession.

3. The greatest freedom, pomp and glory of the world that*takes carnal eyes, dischargeth no wicked Libertines from being the most vile and abject slaves. Nobles, though bound in silver chains, are Prisoners. The Devil and the old Man will never envy their spiritual Captives outward freedoms, while efficacious Redemption hath made no powerful Translation unto Christs Kingdom of salvation.
4. Carnal walkers conceits of Redemption by Christ, are pleasing, delusive and vanishing dreams: While the Israelites served* Pharaoh, they were not delivered; so titular Christians never, felt the power of Redemption, while they obey the Devil, and abound in the pleasures of sin: The chained Prisoners thoughts of Ransome, are very sorry ones, while he still starves, and dieth in his Irons.
5. The avenging jealousie of the Lord Christ, will flame out against them, who rest, yea boast in heart, yea sometimes in tongue, of his ransoming Grace, and yet shake off his rightly purchased Government: He counts them no better than enemies, that refuse his dominion, and threatens their destruction, Luke 19. 27. He shall come from Heaven to revenge their disobedience to his Gospel, 2 Thess. 1. who prophanely rested on the Grace of his Redemption. How can they answer their undoing fallacy, of dividing what God hath joyned, parting Redemption from iniquity, and Redemption from Hell, as if the whole of it were to rescue lost sinners from the smart, not the filth of sin; to give them a licentious ease, not to fit them for their professed Lords use, and their own eternal sweet communion with him, to keep them from being vessels of wrath, not to make them vessels of honour. What a dishonour is this to the grace of God, That Lust, the Devill, and the World, should Lord it over Christs purchase? What reproach to Redemption, that those who beleeve they are ransomed by him will not be subject to him, but abide, Col. 1. 21. Enemies to him in their minds, declared by wicked workes? Are not these men like ransomed captives, bought by a deare price, who are so far from subjection, and paying honour to, that they rebel against their Lord?
6. When Christ is desired for his comforts, not for his service, Gods grace is turned into wantonness. Thus many take Christ to serve their turnes of him, not to serve him, for a shelter to comfort them in storms, not a Master to doe his will. When under the terrors and sorrows of death and hell they would have comfortable words from Christ, even then when they have rebellious hearts against him. I have heard from an eye, and ear-witness, a sad report of a tipling, adulterous, prophane man, when he had the terrours of an angry God on his wounded soul, and not onely fear of Hell, but confessed feeling of the paines and flames of hell in his spirit, was in his flesh (like another trembling Balshazar at the hand writing against him) a real afflicted Quaker, sent for the Minister, cried out of his grosse sinnes, yea his barren and forsaken use of reading and prayer, but the slavish sorrows were soon wasted, and the terrified sinner soon grew vain, frothy, sensuall, and voluptuous. Such as like onely the pacifying, but not the purifying part of Religion, have whorish hearts, wandring from God to other Loves, even then when they are afraid of him. Wanton, unclean wives, would have their husbands good lookes, words, and gifts, though disobedient to them, and defilers of the Marriage bed. Thus too many adulterous hearts, when the lips only matched with Jesus Christ, would have the comforts of Reconciliation, Remission, Adoption, the peace and joyes of the Holy Ghost, even then when they contemn his holy strict Gospel-government. The Apostle Paul will be a condemning instance against these selfish wantons. As he obtained Pardoning mercy. 1 Tim. 1. 13. So he was the servant of Jesus Christ. Rom. 1. 1. yea laboured in Christs vineyard more than any of the Apostles, 1 Cor. 15. 10. Should God put sound hearts to the choice, whether they had rather have eminent grace to doe the will, than see the sweet face of Christ, they would prefer dutifulness before joyes, and rather obey the commands than see the smiles of God. But rotten hearts are all for the comforts, * nothing for the self-denying, mortifying precepts of the gospel, would be content to spend their daies in carnall rejoycing, not working for the Lord Jesus. It is just with God, that all such who onely seek the comforts, but not the labours and tasks of christianity shall everlastingly be strangers to the solaces, who were enemies to the duties of the Gospel. They who center * their joy in themselves shall never have true joy. O that these men that fear no evill but wrath and Hell, and so doe keep in, not leave their wickednesse, and see no good in Religion, but its comfort and peace, would seriously consider the experimentall words of Zanchy: Evill men doe but inwardly restrain their wickedness, which without feares they would wantonly powre forth,*and this maketh them not the better, nor more righteous in Gods account, because though chained up by fear, they dare not act their iniquity, yet within they have sins impure flames, pent up, but no heart renewed by the obedience of God.

SECT. 7.

4. VVHen the heart carrieth wickedly as to the Law of God, The Grace of God is turned into wantonness. * This is done Doctrinally, and Practically.
5. Doctrinally: When the Justifying grace of God is made 2 dis-obligement from the obedience of the Law: Because they that are under grace, are not under the damning power of the Law: Therefore loose Opinionists teach, they are not under the commanding power of the Law, as if Christ dyed to free from the malediction, that men might be free from the direction of the Law. This abolishment of the pure divine Laws Authority, betrayes as a crackt brain, so an unholy heart. An holy Law cannot but be bid welcome of an holy heart, and a spiritual Law will please a spiritual heart. It is too clear an evidence of a loose spirit to disanull the government of a strict Law, They are wanton Sons, who because they are free from their Fathers disinheriting, will therefore be free from their Fathers ruling. The Lord Christ hath set a black mark of displeasure upon these dissolute Opinionists, and hath taught us, They that teach beleevers * are quit from the obedience of Gods commandements, shall be least in the Kingdome of heaven. Mat. 5. 19. He shall be called least, that is, he shall have the least, yea no account with God at all; for thus Christ would be understood, they shall be banished from their hopes of having a part in the Kingdom of Heaven. A severe threatning against doctrinal Antinomianisme.
6. Practically: When under pretence that Christ hath redeemed sinners from the curse of the Law, they really lead accursed lawless lives: They grosly erre, that think, the wrath and hell of the Law shall never reach them that are lawless. Assurance of saving Grace, joyned with a disordered life, seemes to fasten a disgracefull agreement on Christ, which he will never own, that he shall take off the Laws curse, that they may shake off the Laws yoak: Hence Libertines take a course by their false Faith and covenant, that all the volleys of the Law, discharged from a jealous angry God against them, are but naked powdercracks, a scaring noyse, not killing bullets, not doe execution upon them. Now Lust and the Devill in these Practical Antinomians (for such are wicked men that abuse the grace of God) gaine a priviledging license from the death of Christ, to sin securely, as if an open trade in Hells commodities, were allowed and sealed by the blood of Christ. The Apostle hath told these to their terrour (unless the hardning habits of constant irregular courses have * put them past fear) The avenging Law is made for the lawless and disobedient. 1 Tim. 1. 9. for ungoverned practical Antinomians, that live as they list, under the favour, as they think, of Gospel grace. But little doe daring Rebels think, that have made voyd the Laws of God in their hearts and lives, That while they leave Gods Law, they forsake their own salvation; it being a signal part of their salvation to be saved from sin, Mat. 1. 21. which is a transgression of the Law. 1 Joh. 3. 4. How little doe these abusers of Law and Gospel consider intention, which was not onely to save sinners from Hell, but his Law from wilfull, constant disreputation and violation in the world: He hath magnified his Law, and made it honourable. Isa. 42. 21. not onely by his own personal obedience, but commending it to, and commanding it of all his followers, as a most equall rule of life, and way of happinesse. They that oppose freedom from the Laws curse, to binding in the Laws bonds, should remember, that this spirituall blessing is a deep obligement * to abhor a carnal conversation, and that they are not debters to the flesh but the spirit, not to sin, but Christ. Rom. 8. They owe on provisions to, but mortification of their lusts. Yea further, they should consider, the Spirit, voice is the Laws, and the leading of Gods Sons by the spirit, is leading them in the cleane paths of the Laws obedience: Such as dare abolish obedience to the Law, because the grace of God in Christ hath freed from the curse, should doe well to fear and tremble, they are the men and women that shall never escape the curse, who ever abhorred and cast off the authoritie of the Law. It is a word of eternall veritie, equity, and purity: The Idaea of eternal right reason in the minde of God, most fit to be an immutable and eternall rule of duty, and will justly and infallibly call for eternal punishment upon all loose Rebels against it, hatsoever sanctuary they think to * find in Gospel grace. Well were it for Lawless Libertines, could they see themselves under the cursing Law, and feele the smart of it, as a severe Schoolmaster, to lash them unto Christ, that being rescued from the curse, they might bee enabled by the spirit of Faith, love and power, to performe the duties of the Law. *

SECT. 8.

5. THe grace of God is turned into wantonnesse, when the heart carrieth wickedly as to the Gospel of Christ, and so it doth.
6. When the Gospel cometh in Word onely, not in Power, when all its sweet invitations, intreaties, wooings, exhortations, doe but bear the air, are never entertained by the true hearing ear, into the beleeving heart; when Gospel Sermons, Chapters, Discourses, Examples take no impression upon hard hearts; when glorious Evangelicall mysteries, Angels admiration, are slighted by the carnal, vngrateful world, yea when a long, barren, uneffectuall living, under Gospel saving discoveries, sadly declareth, it hath not yet bin the power of God unto salvation when after ten, twenty, forty years convincing, inviting ministry it may be said of too many under souls Physitians, what was said of the woman with the bloody issue, under bodily Physitians, They are nothing bettered, but grow worse. Mar. 5. 26. when the most favour carnal spirits give the gospel, is to give it the hearing, and that is all; like wanton sons that give their Fathers the hearing of their commands, and that is all; in this case the grace of God is highly abused. Against such as oppose the word of Holiness, Life, and Salvation, and have no faith to mingle it in their hearts, as if it were a fable, a lye, a loss, so doe, injudicious slighty, careless, ob•linate, though professed christians; these are witnesses. The Thessalonians, who did not only hear the word, but felt the power of it. 1. Thes. 1. 5. The fruitfull colossians who heard it, and knew the grace of God in truth, Col. 1. 5, 6. The Romans who after it was delivered unto them, were delivered in its tranforming mold, as mettal into the Bell-founders, or clay into the Potters shop. Rom. 6. 17. The whole number of * the saved that in the word of grace have felt and demonstrated the revealing of Gods arme, are mightily translated from Satans kingdom into Christs. Col. 1. 13. have mightily experimented the casting out of the Prince of this world, Joh. 12. 31. will be astonishing witnesses against them, who indeed have heard and read, and have had cold and lazy convictions of the gospel, but with stony hearts resisted the fastning and saving powerfull impressions of it.
7. When the Gospel doth not dismantle the Devils garrisons; doth not by its storms, or friendly sweet Parley, get the Royal Fort, the Will for Christ, and doth not set him there as commander in chief. When the Forts of hell doe not fall before heavenly*Gospel batteries; when its sweet trumpet soundeth to the battle, its weapons are handled and used, but all the while pretenders to Christs colours, fight on the side of the Prince of darkness, and are faithful to him as their Liege Lord, here the grace of God is iniured, as being appointed to be the conquering arm of God, but is blessed with no victories over formall professors. Satan careth not how much we have the nations of Gospel in our minds, and mouths, so he may still bind us fast in the chains of our own sins. They who yet can bear his destructive government, they are the supporters of a sinful licentiousness, the props, not the ruins of Satans kingdom. He will resent Gospel Faith, and profession, as a meer mockery, that doth not deny his service, nor disturb his possession He hath too clear demonstrations of a carnall gospeller, that bare words cannot cast him our, that nothing beneath Almightiness can do it, untill the chains of our own making, the reasonings, lusts, affections of the flesh are broken assunder; he looseth no Prisoners, untill the Captain of salvation lead captivity captive; there neither is nor can be any deliverance: Such as under Gospel-means of rescue, that never yet had the victorious power of Grace, *sufficiently declare they never had a serious sense of Satans pernicious Tyranny, nor ever received the power of the Gospel in their hearts.
8. When the Gospel hath no becoming conversation in the World: It is so, when it and the Author of it are owned in words, but in works denyed, Tit. 1. 16. When un-Gospel livers are so far, like Demetrius, to have a good report of the truth, 3. Ep. Joh. 11. and adorning the Doctrine of God our Saviour, Tit. 2. 10. That the word of Gods Grace is blasphemed, Tit. 2. 5. and heareth ill of carping, graceless Criticks, almost as fabulous, that is, so impotent over dissolute lives: Herein is Grace abused. It was a sad saying of Linacre, reading the severe requiries of the * Gospel; Or this is no Gospel, or we are no Gospellers: Such as have an high calling to Earthly Crowns and Thrones, usually live worthy of their high promotion; Their Spirits and Places are equally high: God hath called his people unto a Kingdom, and Glory, and this calleth upon them to walk worthy of God, 1. Thess 2. 12. It was good counsel Agapetus gave to Justinian the Emperor, * To walk worthy of God, saying, He indeed is worthy of God, who doth nothing unworthy of him: The thanks he seeks, owns, and delights in, is not the easie tender of good words, but the real production of pious works: When the mouth is hot with GospelRedemption, Reconciliation, Pardon, Sonship, & the like, but the heart is cold in the thoughts of these things: Gospel -duties and confessions keep no even pace; when there is Gospel in the lips, but no tuning harmony of it in the life, here the grace of God is wronged.

  

SECT. 9.

6. THe Grace of God is turned into wantonness, when the * heart carries wickedly as to the Creatures: Even these the good blessings of God, through the corruption of nature, are back friends to godliness. It’s rare to finde the high blessings of the upper and lower Springs to kiss each other: It is not ordinary to see Heavenly and Earthly riches to meet together in the fame persons. Its hard, said Jerome, to pass from delights to delights, from the pleasures of this life, to those of the next;to be eminet in the great Estates, Honors, and sweetnesses of both worlds. There wants not sad and common experience: This World becomes the immortal souls enemy; it is an eminent part of Gods Grace, when a precious soul is delivered: from the burthens, the snares, the pollutions of it: A corrupt stomack turns good meat into bad humors; and a corrupt heart Creature delights, into bad manners: They accidentally prove the souls bane: They make God and souls Strangers, prove intangling snares, and lead immoral mindes Captive. Bruit Beasts goe heavily under a weighty pressing burthen, and wealthy ones move faintly and wearily in the ways of Godliness, under a great load of riches. The Lord Christ knoweth well, that his heavenly Racers can run best; and Soldiers can fight best, that are least burthened; therefore ordinarily he gives not out to his people vast Estates; Not many mighty, 1 Cor. 1. 26. The poor in the world, rich in faith: The lighter, the happier, the speedier is motion Heavenwards. As the Redeemed by Christ were given him of the Father, to be taken out of the world, John 17. 6. So it is a main part of first conversion, to be turned from the Creatures unto God, and therefore it is an abuse of Gods grace, to be licentious among the Creatures: That is done, when the use of the Creatures is intemperate and idolatrous.
7. Intemperate, when so much is taken in as wholly unsuiteth * for the service of God. Creature-surfets, unsit for glorifying of Gods grace: They are not coards to draw to God to honor him, but fetters to draw from God, and forget him. ‘Tis hard at once to have a full purse and belly, and a soul filled with Spiritual Riches and Delights. Seneca’s saying is too frequent experience: A liberal use of the sweet Creatures, maketh a strong Body, but niverso. a weak minde. Bodily delights, are like an intoxicating Wine, and*the improvements of corruption: There is no lust of the flesh, that the unwary sinner is not drunk with: Its cravings and service unfit for duty, as the over-charged Drinker is for his work. It was therefore Christs caution, Take heed to your selves, lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfetting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares, Luke 21. 34. God hath not given the Creatures to hinder, but promote obedience: ‘Tis a sad exchange, when the abused Honors of this life, shall be swallowed up in the damnation and contempt of the other, and the worlds voluptuous wantons, pass through the pleasant Meadows of present delights, to the stinking, howling, and smarting Prison of Hell: They that would make haste to Christs Kingdom of glory, had need be careful, lest they cram and surfett their souls with the world. Too much of thoughts, desires, affections to this, is sadly punished with nothing in the other. Wo to them that are intemperately full here, they shall hunger hereafter; and their dis-satisfaction will be a part of their Hell. Christian liberty, and Gospel grace, will be no Patrons of Creature excesses.
8. When the use of the Creatures is Idolatrous, Gods grace is abused: Joseph should be great in Aegypt, but Pharaoh would be in the Throne above him: We may use the creatures, but they must not be set in the hearts Throne above God: We make that an Idol, that hath an equal or higher room in our hearts. ‘Tis a kinde of Idolatry to place happiness in the Creatures: Covetousness*is stiled Idolatry, Col. 3. 5. Inordinate sweet worldly loves, are heart Idols: God never gave the Creatures to be set in his room: ‘Tis his high dishonor, when the love of the world swallows up the love of God; trust in the Creatures, denyeth confidence in the Rock of Ages; rejoycing in things of nought, obstructs Joys in the things of Eternity: The service of the Creature, puts by the service of God, Blessed for ever. A Prince will not bear it, that his promoted Creatures should be set above him; so neither will the Jealousie of God bear it, that the creatures he hath made should be set above him: We usually say, stand by, and remove those things that stand in our light. O our little account of God! we say not, stand by, nor remove from our irregular esteem and affections, the things that stand in Gods light. If we have not Grace enough to take our hearts off from the dark Eclipses of Gods glory, and God intend mercy to us, he will either remove them out of his light, or imbitter their use. Hence Parents and Children, Husbands and Wives, have been bitter-sweet one to another, yea often times more bitter then sweet; Lest a constant tenor of undisturbed contentment and delight, should tempt and turn Relations into Idols: upon this account too, riches, health, and friends, have fled away; lest the Lords people, too prone to adore and admire Creatures into Idols, should set them too high. The words of Augustine are not more true, then sad experience: Whatsoever you love that is from God, will be justly imbittered to you, because*it is injustly loved by departure from him. They are also a part of his sweet meditation: The miserable soul runneth from thee, in whose sweet presence it is feasted with joy, and followeth the World, with which it meets with thorny vexations.

CHAP. V. Wherein are set down the Càuses, why the Grace of God is turned into wantonness.

SATAN, a malicious enemy of Gods Grace, knowing that the abuse thereof is a sin of aggravated and accumulated wickedness of a deep scarlet tincture, and the highest affront that can be offered to a gracious God, The Mediator and Spirit of Grace, hath many pernicious Methods, and destructive Wiles, to tempt to this hainous sin: Though all of them are not in every abuse of Gods Grace, yet some of them in some, and some of them in others, are the causes of this eminent and dishonorable injury to the God of Grace: I shall consider them under four Heads; Wants, Errors, Presumptions, and Temptations.

  

SECT. 1.

1. WAnts: The failings or omissions of nine things, are * the deficient causes of wantonness under Grace.
2. Want of knowing the work and abuse of Grace: Many have confused notions of Gods grace, who are ignorant of the wrongs they do unto it, and think they are under the priviledge of grace, when they are strangers to, and enemies against it. Many say that God is gracious, and by Gods grace they will amend, when they consider not that renewing active grace, would put them upon constant, conscionable, regular and vehement endeavors for reformation, when they practice, but neither know, nor are humbled, for the contradictions to grace; when they are not soundly convinced, that saving Grace teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, Tit. 2. 11, 12. which they out of choice and delight fulfil; That it abounds with faith and love, 1 Tim. 1. 14. when it never produced these Graces in them; that the will of God is their sanctification, 1 Thess. 4. 3. when they never saw the amiable beauty, nor practiced the duties of holyness; that grace changeth the heart, when they know nothing of the inward, mysterious, miraculous work of conversion in its Doctrine and experience; that grace is an effectual curb to, and a cleansing Purgatory of vain and impure thoughts, when they know no hurt in the vanity and pollution of them; that grace leads the heart daily to the Throne of grace, when they are strangers to Prayer in the Holy Ghost, and think there is no hurt in its irreligious omission; that it is Grace must save them, when they know not that a principal part of its salvation, is the mortification of lust and reformation of life: Ignorance of the wrongs done to grace, is a black concealing vail over them, which at once hinders the accusing conscience, tempts to dreams of innocence, imboldens to a carnal indulgence to beloved sins; were the eyes of the Doctrinal and Practical Adversaries of Gods grace clearly opened, to see the Insolencies, Indignities, and Injuries they do against it, they could not but in a trembling conviction conclude, these and these things are certain dishonors of grace, Stains of holy Profession, Inconsistencies with the new Creature, Lust and Satans methods of Damnation, and denials of the hope of Glory. As when Paul said to Ananias, God shall smite thee thou whited wall, he had not said so, had he known hee was the High Priest. Act. 23. 3, 5. •o had the bold abusers of Gods * grace, strong and clear convincements, the frame of their hearts, and carriages of their lives, were the high injuries of Grace, eminent perils of destruction, and demerits of the hottest room in Hell; in the noon-light of such an acknowledgement, they would feare and tremble to stumble upon their owne ruin.

SECT. 2.

2. VVAnt of Faith to believe the signall danger of sinne, this * huge sin is the wrong of Grace. It is no wonder that the evill which is not known, is not believed, nor declined. Unbeliefe is the evill heart that departs from the living God. It sets not to its seal, that God is true, in his promises nor threatnings; believes not the abominable, damnable nature of sinne, and dallies with it. As daring wantons, who know that the cup that stands before them is of poyson, yet beleeve it not, but drink and burst; or the plague is in the house they goe into, believe it not, are mortally infected, and die: And as the Egyptians beleeved not that the cattle and men that were found abroad one storming day should die, adventured abroad, and were slaine; so dallying adventurers that beleeve not the mischief of their sinfull pleasures, contempts of Christ and his Gospel, they are dancing over the mouth of Hell, by the sudden push of death are kickt into it. The loose old world beleeved not the destruction Preached by Noah in the making of the Ark, were not moved with his holy example, and penitentiall instructions; The Sonnes of God playd the wantons with the fair idolatrous daughters of men, Gen. 6. 2. and were at length swept away with the flood. Faith would make Libertines fear and tremble: Unbelief is daring. * The wrath of man is more feared than Gods. When God (saith one) threatens eternal punishment, ye neglect it, when an earthly Judge threatens temporal, ye tremble at it.

SECT. 3.

3. WAnt of Heat, Intention and Livelinesse in Religion. If * God be not served in fervency of Spirit, Lust will. If Satan cannot keep from Religious exercise, he tempts to Luke-warmnesse, yea Key-coldnesse in the performance of them. Instinctu Satanae, faith one, by Satans deading and flatting instinct, a drowsie tyring in good things steals upon body and spirit. Faint fighting is not wont to overcome, nor faint service of God to mortisie Lust. How fe• are there in a Christian congregation superabounding in spiritual joy, alwaies pleasant and merry in the Lord, fervent in spirit, day and night meditating in the Law of God, lifting up pure hands in prayer, follicitous observers, and students of their own hearts, zealous witnesses of holy affections to good works, to whom Christian discipline is amiable, Fasting sweet, long Watching short, the whole pietie of a regular conversation is a delitious feast, yea doth exceed the sweetnesse of the * hony and the hony comb? Alass, how many are there who in an impartial inquest will be found remisse in the studies of Holyness, fainting under Christs easie yoak, and light burden, whose compunction is short and rare, conversation naturall, speech without circumspection, prayer without intention of heart, reading without edification, good purpose without execution, religious exercise without fervencie, who in the waies of godliness want the whipp and spurs, but in the too prone and nimble motions of dislolute looseness, need curbing bridles. Licentious courses are so strong and impetuous, that the modest shame of uncomeliness, the bridle of reason, yea the fear of Hell, can hardly restrain them? No wonder if corruption be daring, dissolute, and potent, when religious exercises are flat, dead, cold, and feeble. Wee blush not* (said one) to pray to God without due attention and fervour of spirit. He that hath no sweet communion with God, will seek it in the world, and pleasing his inticing lusts. When the minde is senceless in reading and meditation, and affections are dull, corruption will be lively. ‘Tis sad to consider how many seemed to discover the fervour of a pious conversation, in whom by degrees charity hath waxen cold, and iniquity abounded, and what appeared to be begun in the Spirit, ends (it is to be feared) in the flesh. Gal. 3. 3. Draw me and we will run after thee, because of the savour of thine ointments. Cant. 1. 3, 4. Therefore there is need of*drawing, because the divine fire of the soules love, for want of fewel to it, and blowing of it, by degrees abates ad cooles. Drawing nigh the fire is for warmth, and drawing nigh of God is for holy heat. In near approaches to him, the new creature is a zealous enemy   to wanton looseness. Cockering cooleness in the severe religious exercises of Mortification is the bane of Profession. Adonijah was a very goodly man, David his Father displeased him not at any time, in saying why hast thou done so? 1 King. 1. 6. In the sist verse you sinde him a daring Rebel; you may read in the Contents of the Chapter, Adonijah Davids darling usurpeth the Kingdome. Thus is it with every fair faced goodly lust. The indulgent Christian is it too remisse in rebuking and chastizing it, and it riseth up in arms against him. Cockering Mothers cold in rebuking wanton sons, teach them to be Libertines, ost-times train them up for the Gallows and Hell, so when the heart is remiss and cold for good and against evill. Lust will have its reins and lawlesse liberty, and ruin its servants.

SECT. 4

4. WAnt of receiving the Truth in the Truth in the love of it, is an Advantage * to trun a Libertine. The Apostle describes the Antichristian spirit, that waxed wanton in taking pleasure in unrighteousnesse; receiving the Truth for by-ends, not the love of it, 2 Thes. 2. 10. So Heretical, loose, prophane spirits are not in love with truth; and as a Wife who is not in love with her Husband, abuseth his kindesse, so do these the truth: Love is kind, behaveth not it self unseemly, 1 Cor. 13. 4, 5. True love of truth is so kind to her, as not to put unseemly affronts upon her. I wonder not when David setting up a pair of ballances, and weighing truth in one scale, and the greatest glories of the world in the other, in his judicious esteem, Truth as most weighty and massie did preponderate: His love run out in fullest stream to the Truth; O how do I love thy Law! Psal. 119. 97. The joy of his high love was not onely parallel to the joy of all riches, V, 14. accounted as a rich fee-simple, an heritage for ever, V. 111. but the beauty and treasure of truth was better unto him than thousands of Gold and Silver, V. 72. Above Gold, yea above fine Gold, V. 128. And now as a faithfull Spouse, deeply in love with, and betrothed to her dear •ridegroom, by no difficulties and afflictions is beat off from him, quickens and sharpens her zeale after him by opposition, so David, espoused to the pure and lovely truth of God, V. 140. was faithfull to the interest of it in all affictions; the whetstone of his holy profession, meditation of, and conversation by it. This was the sweet song of his pilgrimage, v. 54. Neither trouble and anguish that took hold on him, v. 145. nor Princes persecutions, v. 161. nor the presence of Kings, v. 46. nor his enemies despising of him, v. 141. nor proud mens forging lyes against him, v. 69. nor their digging pits, nor laying snares for him, v. 85. 110. nor their waiting to destroy him, v. 95. nor their almost consuming him upon earth, v. 87. could bring down his high esteem, nor cool his burning love to the Truth, whose guiding, purifying, comforting influence he had found in his heart & life. Buy the truth and sell it not, Prov. 23. 23. buy it at any reat, sell it at no rate, as it is with persons deeply sick of love; they will have such a man or woman, though they beg with them, so it is with the lovers of saving truth, they will be match’d to it, though they perish by it, though it cost them the losse of their estates, liberties, and lives. The word of truth, the Gospel of salvation, hath been dearer to blessed Martyrs than their hearts blood. The Apostles could doe nothing against the truth but for the truth, 2 Cor. 13. 8. and then no wonder they were zelots for the truth, did neither * deny the profession of it, nor wantonly abuse it. Reall Saints learn the truth by loving it, professe the truth they have learned, and stick to the truth they professe. ‘Tis a true and sure experience they who have not received the truth for the love of it, rience they who have not received the truth for the love of it, but for, and by carnall ends, will make it their decoy and stalking Horse; and as it was never heartily loved for it selfe, in time * of Temptation, they will reject it, or dissemble it, with which they have ever played the wantons, to which they never yeelded hearty obedience. The Apostle tells us, that younger widdows, professed Christians, waxed wanton against Christ in their too soft, and delicate life of pleasures, 1 Tim. 5. 6, 11. a reason is subjoyned, * beca use they cast off their first faith, v. 12. The faith of 〈◊〉 severe, mortifying Christianitie: These also are said, to go after Satan, v. 15. A sad Text, that will prove many specious, pompous christians, to be fatanicall. Calvin beginnes his Exposition of those words, Some are turned aside after Satan, with a Notanda loquutio: Note the words well; No man can a little turn from jesus Christ, but he is in a ready way to follow Satan, Hence we are admonished, how deadly a sinne it is to turn aside from the right course, which of the sons of God will make us the slaves of Satan, and being drawn off from the government of Christ, sets Satan over us to be out Leader.

  

SECT. 5.

5. WAnt of laying to heart Gospel threatnings, contributes * to the Abuse of Gods grace. The Lord hath to prevent the abuse of it, annexed the threatnings of the covenant of works, to the violation of the covenant of grace. Death, Hell, the wrath to come, the curses of the Law, were the threats of the covenant of Works. These are used to Hedge in a reverend regard to, and obedience of the covenant of grace. God in infinite wisdome and love, jealous of the Apostasy of his peoples hearts, and zealous of his own glory, and their salvation, hath annexed dreadfull threatnings to the Preaching of the Gospel, to keep down proud wanton flesh, to be a thorny thick-sett preventive of over-leaping rebellions, and preservative of obedienceThe fear of anger is a good expedient, left the hope of Gods goodnesse be abused to carnal neglect. Hence we read these comminations; *We are not of those which draw back to perdition, Heb. 10. 38. Perdition is implyedly threatned against A postasie from Christ; He that loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ in sinceritie, let him be Anathema Maranatha; accursed, excommunicate for ever, 1 Cor. 16. 22. The everlasting curse is threatned to Christs false friends: He that believeth not is damned, Joh. 3. 18. Except ye repent ye shall perish, Luk. 13. 3. Yea there where the Lord proclaimes the glory of his name in grace and mercy, left it should be wronged to wantonness, he mentions a terrible threatning, That he will by no means clear the guilty, Exod. 34. 6, 7. Such as by unbeleeving loose impenitent courses, a second time crucisie the Son of God, and prostitute his metits to wicked courses, should doe well to study those angry words, He will by no means clear such guilty ones. Because pround secure Libertines, either * consider not, or fear not, or positively contemn Gods threatned wrath, Hence it is that they securely play the 〈◊〉 in the hopes of mercy. ‘Tis rare these sad and serious thoughts are layd to heart; If I do not beleeve in Christ I am lost for ever; If I live in my sinne I shall perish; If I depart from Christ I shall be. 〈◊〉 one; If I abuse the long-suffering, goodness, truth, and pardoning mercy of God, Ishall never be cleard of this guilt, the glory of his Justice will shine in my ruin, the glory of whose grace, hath been darkned by my looseness. The daring thoughts, counsels, words, and practices of all Libertines doe betray such a spirit as was in Marcion of old, who fancied God made all of mercy and grace, and removed severities, and judicial penal authorities from the good God, as if he were a stupid Essence, insensible of any affronts and indignities put upon him. Thus as if God were not essentially just as well as mercifull, he is by impudent Libertinisme spoyled of his Justice, who as hee is just, and a justifier of true beleevers, so he is just and a condemner of all his enemies, the greatest whereof are they that continue in sin because grace abounds.

SECT. 6.

6. VVAnt of Grace changing and affecting the heart, that * shines in the Head. Convictions may, and doe often stand with positive Rebellion. The truth of God is held prisoner in unrighteousness. Rom. 1. 18. takes no hold on the wills and affections of men: such violent restraint is laid upon it by over-powering worldly lusts, that its sanctifying reforming liberty and authority is quite supprest. It is with the lightsome beames of Gods grace as with the Sun: The light may shine in the upper sleeping room, but be shut out of the lower working rooms: The grace of God shines often in the upper sleeping room, idle, drousie Speculation, and conviction in the mind, but is shut out of the lower working rooms, the Will and the Affections. Evil servants know their Masters will, but have no hearts to doe it. They are evill servants, who, in the Lords spirituall husbandry, trading and occupation, are negligent in their duty, and hide the talents of the Spirits gifts in sluggish idlenesse, and neither promote their own, nor others salvation. Family-guides cannot beare it, who see their loose Attendants waste and abuse the light of great Candles, to wantonnesse, when their more conscionable Ministers doe much work by lesser lights. What a shame will it bee in the reckoning day, when persons of vast apprehensions, but loose hearts and lives, shall be condemned from the vast practice of Godliness, in men of mean, yet sound intellectuals, who turn a few gracious notions, into holy motions, and words into works.

  

SECT. 7.

7. WAnt of the upright and genuine use of Cods grace, * as a Medicine to cure, not as a Cloak to cover sin: We read 1 Pet. 2. 16. a Cloak of maliciousness, or wickedness, , and the danger of us•rg liberty an occasion to the flesh, Gal. 5. 13. which let alone, will make assault upon us, as the word imports: The Sheeps-skin on the Wolves back doth indeed cover, not alter the ravenous Creature: While the cloak of grace doth but hide, not heal the old Man, he will be a Libertine. The matter is not with carnal Gospellers, whether they sin or no, but whether concealed. Unsound hearts are not so much troubled with the conscience, as infamy of sin: Much wickedness in the world, appearing in its native colours would be abominable, but when it borrows a dress from the grace of God, it looks lovely, and is unsuspected: A pitty it is, so fair a cloak as Gods grace, should be put on so foul a body as sin; it is as if a leprous Body were covered with Purple, and a Dung-hill with Scarlet. It was a part of Jeremiah’s Lamentations, That the Sons of Zion, that were cloathed in Scarlet, embraced Dung-hills, Lam. 4. 5. It should be for a lamentation, that spurious Gospellers, the false sons of Zion, clad in a rich, scarlet, glorious profession, should stain themselves with durg-hill words and works. To put the cover of nature upon unnatural, unmorral sins, is abominable; to put the cloak of grace on works of darkness, to wash the Devils face with holy-water, is much more detestable: It is as if Satan should court God to license his wickedness, as if his pure nature should priviledge uncleanness. They were false Jews, uncircumcised in Spirit, though not in flesh, who made their ceremonious services, which*should have been exercises of repentance, the Patrons of Licentiousness; and so they are adulterate Christians, who prostitute their Religious Worship, to irreligious designs and practices: But sure Grace was never intended to cover, but cure sin. As the God of grace hath clearly vindicated grace from this dishonor, in his Scriptures, and in the mortified conversation of his real •aints, so will he in the great day of restitution of all things, all things by their proper names, set them on their own bottoms,  arraign sin as sin, grace as grace, the enemies of Christ as enemies, and friends as friends, and avenge before the world dishonors done to his Gospel-grace, and invincibly clear it to the judgement both of elect and reprobates, that grace is a destroyer, not a Saviour of sin, an help, not an hindrance of good life; Take with you words, and say, receive us graciously, Hos. 14. 2. This grace was an healing remedy; I will heal their backslidings, v. 4. Grace, like the covering wings of the Chicken, like the covering Plaister of the wound, doth both cover, and cure: Pardoning and purging Grace go together. As the wisdom, so the grace that is from above, is pure, as well as peaceable. It is the constant Petition of the sound Spirit of Prayer, Lord pardon, Lord heal my sins.

SECT. 8.

8. VVAnt of sound conviction of the mischief of original * corruption, and severe mortification thereof, is an experimented account why grace is abused: Here are two branches.
9. Want of clear convincement of the old mans mischief: The Character of his wickedness is very large, when it is not known at all, or but slightly; no wonder if the bosome Enemy play Rex, and rule as he he His sinfulness, as followeth not discerned nor regarded, begetteth high abuse of the Grace of God. Were these things known and believed concerning original corruption, professed Christians could not be so licentious: Sad experience will give this evil report of it. One saith truly of carnal concupiscence.

‘Tis a numerous pregnant mother of sins, and hath a vast Womb,* in which infinite transgressions are conceived, out of which they are by the Midwifry of Satan and the World brought forth.

‘Tis the standing Forest, in which Beasts of prey are nourished and abound, harmful destructive lusts are fed and grown, that spoil the bodies and souls of men.

‘Tis a deaf Adders ear to the Words, Wisdom and Whispers of the Spirit, that will not hearken to the saving voice of the Charmer, charm he never so wisely; will never hearken to the   Counsels of true Wisdom, till miraculous grace open and boar the ear.

‘Tis a rooted, and deeply fastned evil in all the faculties of man, written as with a pen of Iron, the point of a Diamond, graven upon the hard Table of the Heart, Jer. 17. 1. The deep Characters of its malignity are not soon and easily razed out.

‘Tis a vast Sea, that notwithstanding the infinite streams that * flow from it, is not drawn dry, but as full as ever, without the exhausting miracle of grace, gradually lessening, and at length quite drying it up.

It hath an Whores face and tongue: it’s besotted Lovers believe it’s permicious bewitching flatteries, are enticed by its lusts, as Fishes by baits, Birds and Beasts by snares, Jam. 1. 14.

‘Tis like an untractable Heifer, that will not bear the yoak of * Grace, but kick and winch, and run away from service, Deut. 32. 15. A wanton and unbridled Nag, that will not be handed by the Riders pleasure, will, if left to it self, neither be backt by reason, nor the Spirit of God.

‘Tis not onely an enemy, but in the abstract enmity against God, his Laws, Soveraignty, Holiness, yea his being: The Divine nature, and corrupt nature, are tearms which can never be reconciled: The flesh uncrucified will everlastingly lust against the Spirit, Gal. 5. 17. Jer. 13. 27.

‘Tis fortified in its ruining Art, by divers Lusts and Pleasures, Titus 3. 3. like an old Souldier, hath many stratagems, and an old Angler, many Baits of ruining deceit: In its methods of destruction, if one way miss, another will hit.

‘Tis the Sin that easily besets, Heb. 12. 1. and like an heavy*Chain tied to the affections, the feet of the soul, hinders speedy motion in the Heavenly race set before us; or like a begirting Army, or long Garments that hinder running, obstructs speed in the way everlasting; over pampering, even to an heavy, sluggish, sweating fatness, tires the Racer; So soft indulgencies to the flesh, are a great Remora and constant stop to spiritual and heavenly motions.

‘Tis a subtle Orator to defend it self, when its wickedness is impeached, decried, discredited, condemned; it is the witty Mother of crafty Inventions, to prove it harmless, secure its Indemnity, to elude all Indictments of reason and the word;   hath a wily head in all those distinctions, extenuations, mental reservations, Paintry of deceiving Sophistry, mis-naming and mis-naturing things, for self preservation and soul ruine.

It’s it alone that hath made the heart desperately wicked, a * bottomless pit of sin, a nemo scit of abomination, Jer. 17. 9. They that with longest Plummets would sound it, cannot reach the bottom of it: Hence to the old stock of corruption, new sinful inventions are added.

‘Tis the heavy Pully that hangs upon the soul, when with much adoe, it hath a flight Heaven-wards, not more sweet then short; ’tis like the string tied by the leg of the Bird, whereby the Boy pull’d down the nimble Creature when he pleased, which occasioned Anselmes serious Meditation, making it the Emblem of corrupt customary sins, which pulls down the soul, when alost in Heavenly things; It never flies in a free air, till the string of corruption be cut from it.

It turns spirits into Rocks and Adamants, hardens them in evil, yea, rejoyceth and triumphs in it.

‘Tis a stout Enemy, which though often worsted, is not quite * overcome, will rally and recruit: Though it be forced to depart the Siege, yet it will set down again: Like the Luxuriant Vine, though pruned, grows rank again: Like fire, though much quenched, yet flames again.

This ugly hideous Monster, the old Man, is not seen but by spiritual eyes: Hence it is, that its wanton abuses of the Grace of God are so frequent and prevalent.

2. Want of severe mortification of the flesh, conduceth much to the wrong of Grace. These false Christians in the Epistle of Jude, who turned the grace of God into wantonness, and their fellows are said to walk after their own lusts, v. 16. their ungodly lusts, v. 18. to walk after them, not to crucisie them: Indeed it cannot be otherwise, for if grace be not so strong as to subdue lust: Lust will be so strong as to banish grace, so impudent and daring as to abuse it. Corruption fed and nourished will wantonnize; The hugging, dandling, kissing, feeding, carnal lusts, makes wanton professors: They dare sport with edge tools, & riot in the ways of damnation: Study, O you that profess Christianity, and you will finde it Flesh-pleasers, that in a delicate tenderness, neither dare, nor will, nor can mortisie their corruptions, these eminently abuse Gods grace.

SECT. 9.

9. WAnt of considering the straight way to life, and the * blessed end thereof: Most Gospellers would have Heaven at the close of their lives in the broad way of wanton allowances and indulgencies to the lusts and pleasures of the flesh, had rather have inlargements of their desires in a way of damnation, then the streightning of them in the way of salvation. The wisdom of the flesh, wise onely to destruction, suffers not inconsidering men, seriously to weigh the unspeakably, safe, sweet and glorious Issue of strict Christianity. Holy reason would thus consider: Though that great Idol carnal self were beaten down, sweet lusts and pleasures were mortified, dreadful guilt, and dishonors to God, were lookt over with broken hearts and weeping eyes, the vanities and pomps of the world were renounced; the frequent requiries of the Scripture, and necessities of the poor, call for, and command costly alms: Though Fastings and Watchings, continual spiritual Arms and Combates, Prayers and Tears, Desertions and Afflictions, denial of unlawful, yea often times of lawful things, render practical christian Religion, a formidable, unchoosable and intollerable thing: Though the entrance and progress of godliness be strict, severe, painful, and rigid to the flesh, and bears an unpleasing dominion over the sensitive appetite; yet on this soure crab-stock is engraffed, by the hand of Gods Spirit, sweet fruit: After this dirty Lane, the reproaches and sufferings of this life, there will be getting unto the Heavenly Fathers House: I say, spiritual reason will assure, that the sharpest storms of Religion, will do the kindness as to drive Heavenly Passengers, to the Port of their everlasting Rest; and though the spiritual Battles may be long and sharp, yet they will end in eternal Peace, Victory and Triumph. Satan knoweth the Discipline, Life, and strictness of Grace will have a blessed Issue, and therefore in conjunction with the wisdom of the flesh, suffers not deluded sinners to be so wise, as to remember the latter end of Religions Severities, and saving Experiences. Hence the Sirens of the world the sweet enchantments, pleasures, profits, vain-glories, the sensualities of this life, make carnal Gospellers, even while they hypocritically chide their sinnes to love them heartily, while they easily cry up holyness, strictness, heaven and happiness, yet to give way to loose and wanton hearts, language and conversation, and while they have good words, and seeming good belief, they clearly confute both by unsanctified hearts, and unreformed lives, for want of spiritual serious dwelling consideration of the strait way to glory, is the sad miscarrying of holy Profession.

Ah Christians lay to heart what one saith; It is to be considered * not how sharp the way of life is, but where it leads, not how strait it is, but where it endeth, not how it is strewed with thorns, but to what rosy and sweet spicy delights it brings. Though this world be a valley of tears; Heaven is a mountain of spices, Can. 8. 14. The difficulties and severities of Religion, that are as a Lyon in the way to Mansions of glory, should rather call for resolution, and sharpen the edge of affections, than blunt endeavours? As our Mediatour went through infinite difficulties of Redemption, so all the methods of its application, from conversion, throughout the progress of Sanctification unto a dissolution, are very difficult. The righteous are scarcely saved with much adoe, 1 Pet. 4. 18. O you tender, delicate, spurious Christians, who dream of heaven, and the way of it: you fancie it broad, but the Scripture and experience will everlastingly prove it narrow. Do you think in good earnest, that the carnall latitudes, the broad allowances of the flesh, will end in eternall peace and delights? Will your studied, idolized, sensual delights carry, as in a Chariot, * your departing souls into an eternal Paradise? Doe Christs Souldiery come out of great tribulation unto the eternall Palms and Crowns of their victories? and can your effeminate, wanton, dissolute, brutish lives give you the least assurance, that your voluptuousness below will end in the delights above? Have the noble Army of Martyrs, the whole Church of the first-born, found the way of life a narrow strait way, and doe you make it broad? The Word hath told you, and Death and Judgement will be an infallible Comment on the Text, Broad is the way that leads to destruction. In a broad champion, and Regimental march, hundreds may pass on a breast; but in a very narrow lane   the passage is but two by two. O all you dismall, black Armies, that march under the King of the bottomless pit, your Captain-Generall, you may troop, yea you may speed in the broad champion of corrupt nature, and walk in a full career and march to Hell, but Chriss, souldiery pass in a strait lane, a thin company hedged about with commands, that connot, dare not frolick in the large green plains of carnall delights. If you think, or hope your large professions, or large lives, under strict profession, will bring to, and leave you in the heavenly country, you then must impudently and blasphemously charge the lye upon the faithfull and true witnesse Jesus Christ, hee hath told you the broad way of loose Principles and Lives, will lead you to hell, if you will not beleeve, you shall see and feel the truth of Christ by the light of eternal flames.

SECT. 10.

10. THe second head of causes, that are experimentally influentiall into this great sin, Abuse of Gods grace, is Error. * This will appear in five things.
11. The error of a corrupt palate. Sin is mans disease which makes him dissavour the best things. Sickness taketh away the sweetness of wholsome meat, and Sin of the hidden Manna, most heavenly Feasts. God hath the best furnished house for his Family. We read the fatness of the Gods house, Psal. 36. 8. afeast of fatthings in the mountain of the house of the Lord, Is. 25. 6. A sweet merry feast. They shall be joyfull in my house of prayer. Is. 56. 7. but it is to them onely, whose palate is rectified and judicious, that rellish their heavenly food, that taste and see the Lord is good. Psal. 34. 8. and gracious, 1 Pet. 2. 3. who can say with David, How sweet are thy Words unto my taste? Psal. 119. 103. and with the Spouse, His fruit was sweet unto my taste, Cant. 2. 3. But to the injudicious, unregenerate, the choicest spiritual dainties are unsavoury; they are unto Good works, though they professe the contrary, void of judgement, Tit. 1. 16. They have no a sweet, judicious sense of soul food. Have you seen delicate wantons better fed than taught, that do more censure and play with, than eat heartily and work by their diet, abuse the precious creatures, may be throw it to dogs? or a diseased patient, vitiated in stomack and palate, disrellish the best dyet, make faces at it, spit it out, cry out it is naught. Here is the embleme of carnall spirits, vitiated with corrupt, unsavoury humours, the best provisions of Gods house will not down with them: They vilifie Angels food, Gospel-banquets, cry out upon it, in their distemper, or if they take in a little of it, they spit it out again, or it runs through them. Holy convictions stay not to concoction and nourishment. Their palates doe onely rellish the world, and delight in worldly things.

SECT. 11.

2. THe error of sufficient attainments in Religion. This opinion * is practically debauching. Those that seemed to make hast heaven-wards, and think they have travelled almost enough in the way everlasting, that have dreamed either of their possible or actuall perfection in this life, need no better discovery of their nakedness than themselves, they are their own sufficient confutation. How far are the generation of Popish and Quaking Perfectists, from the prize they seem to run after? further off, were their eyes opened, than those they un-saint from Gospel-attainments. This sottish, supercilious opinion of enoughs in the knowledge and practice of Religion hath begotten monstrous libertines in the present age. Such as have been filled, with windy swelling conceits, not the real fruits of the Spirit; like some of the high-flown puffed up Corinthians, reigned as Kings, 1 Cor. 4. 8. blessed themselves in their high attainments, viz. Knowledge, Faith, Love, Mortification, Communion with God, Joyes of the Spirit; and noy, as if rich enough, they had nothing else to doe but to contemplate their e••ate, and gaze upon their glory, their lazy contemplative life hath swallowed up the active; they lay by trading in heavenly commodities, religious attendances and exercises: Their name is up with their deluded fraternitie, yea in their own foolish brains; and now they may lay abed till noon, yea sleep in carnall securitie, in and before the light of their high-noon attainments. As some men that have gotten vast estates, look over their rich Lordships with much contentment, are knighted, trade no more, have goods layd up for many years, so many rich Laodiceans, that think they abound in spiritual goods, and want nothing, and have nothing, no more than an empty sounding barrel, and are sainted in Satans Kalender; these trade no more in heavenly negotiation, as if they could too much increase their Lords Talent, and give fearfull symptomes, that for all the puffs of their spirituall estates, they are but bankrupts. That generation is well known, who have already decried and voted down Gods standing Ordinance, the Ministry of the Gospel, as needlesse, who load them with no better honours than the stile of Baals Priests, Deceivers of the people, the Locusts of the bottomless pit, the fewel for the fierie furnace of Hell, and so bind up all Preachers in the same bundle of death; as well the most industrious, circumspect, and conscientious, as the most lazy, loose, and unconscionable. Hath not this wanton, daring Age brought forth such proud, pittifull, poor (it is to be feared, but nominal) christians, that have had the boldness to call mourning for sin, a low attainment; dayly prayer, a poor sapless businesse; all private, solemn, as well as publick, vanities, carnall things, too low for their spiritual, seraphical spirits, as if they were not in the body, nor had no body of sin, as if they were so Angelical in their high Revelations, and maintained so constant, blazing divine fire of love to God, as that it needed no further fewell, nor bellows of Ordinances, nor the Spirits hands to use them, for holy and heavenly heart inflammations. Now behold with fear and trembling the spirituall Judgement of spiritual Pride, spiritual Blindness, spiritual Wickedness, spiritual, yea visible gross Apostasie. ‘Tis just with God, that they which will not keep in the safe plain, the secure beaten valley, but they will be mounting up to the narrow tops of hills perilous pinacles, they should fall, and that deadly. Some men and women have not contented themselves (yea to their shame it must be spoken, some Ministers) with the safe plain, the Ordinances of Grace, the Doctrines of Faith, Repentance, Mortification, and New obebedience, nor keep in the secure valley of walking humbly with God, but mounting up in their lofty minds, to the tops of Hils, Doctrines too high for them, injudicious unscriptural Altitudes; the perillous Pinacles of conceited Perfection, a stupid, and sensless assertion of a kind of Adam-like Innocence before the Fall; That they that are born of God sin not at all: I say some are the spiritual black marks of Gods vengeance, from these perillous heights: The visible and fearfull falls of haughty adventurous   wantons, are legible demonstrations to the observing world, written in broad characters, that without infinite mercy they are very deadly. How have some in their scandalous falls from pretended spiritual eminencies, betrayed a double fearfull loss, both of Christianity and civility of Christianity? either with Arrians denying the Deitie of Christ, or blasphemously and sacrilegiously getting into the Throne of his God-head, using these wicked Phrases, they are Godded with God, Christed with Christ, yea that there is no difference of the God-head dwelling in the flesh of Christ, and the flesh of the Saints; as if their flesh did as equally subsist in the Infinite person the Son of God, as the flesh of Christ did; whence it would follow, that the fulnesse of the God-head did dwell corporally in them, as it did in Christ, of consequence speak them sinless, perfectly holy, and contradict the preheminence of Christs Mediatorly anointing, who was anointed with the oyl of gladness, the Holy Ghost, above his fellows, the highest measures and graces in Saints and Angels. How unchristianly doe some of those fearfull children of errour, set up a Christ within them, in opposition, in abolishment of a Christ without them, who poring upon their spiritual transcendencies, have either quite put-out of their Creeds the imputed Righteousness of Christ without them or else forgot it. As little honour, it is to be feared, hath Christ from some of these monuments of delusion, as to the faith of the bodily resurrection, whereof hee was the First fruits; and as if his Ordinances were dead and buried, they have no more Communion with them than wee with the dead; and lastly, as for his visible Image, living Christians, they are boldly stiled the Devils children. As sad a fall is there from pretended perfection, even to the abolishment of civilitie, as if externall Morallities, contained and required in the Second Table, were no * no part of of Gods will. How farre are they from growing to the full stature of Christian practicall Religion, whose errors in opinions and practises, have made sad breeches upon all civill and naturall callings and relations? It had been well if these sad objects of pitty, praiers, and tears had learned of Augustine a truth, which would have kept them safe, humble, diligent, and zealous after true perfection; ‘Tis mans perfection, to finde that he is not perfect: and of Bernard; The unwearied study of proficiency, and constant e•deavour after perfection is perfection; and of Paul, I   count not my self to allain, but I persson to the mark; and of Peter,*Grow in the grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is a true saying of Augustine, Let no man say, though the longest liver, and highest proficient in Religion, I have enough, I am righteous sufficiently: He that sayes so, he stayes in the way, he shall never reach his journeys end. Happy had it been for these wondring falling Stars, had they considered, there is no middle state between Proficiencie and Deficiencie, going forward, and going backward, if they had considered, it must be with Christians, as it was with the Angels on Jacobs Ladder, as to perpetual motion. The Patriarch saw them ascending and descending, but no standing still. The stands of religious sufficiencie, have been, and are fatall to Imaginary Perfectists. O the rare artifice of Satan to ruin soules! where he doth it not as a Prince of darkness, he speeds as an Angel of light. He puts the vaile of imaginary perfection of holiness over almost perfection of sin, votes a nothingness, an emptyness in Religion, a sufficient attainment, tels real carnalists, they are high spiritualists, cheat them with dreams, they are the darlings of heaven, when they are like to prove firebrands in hell; while in the pleasing folly of spiritual pride, vain self-lovers, admire themselves as the none such of the world, and cannot judge in their coldness, yea death of Charity, that they are reall Saints, vessels of mercy, it is to be feared without extraordinary repentance, these not fixed stars, but blazing comets, will goe out in darkness, vanish in a stink, and appear in the great day in the left hand as vessels of wrath.

SECT. 12.

3. THe Frror, a very sottish one, of Opinion, That what*pleaseth the loose sinner, pleaseth God: These things hast thou done, thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self, Psal. 50. 21. an erroneous and impious parallel, and the cause of much looseness. These things hast thou done; What? these sins are charged on the wicked Libertine; an hypocritical owning of Gods Statutes and Covenant, ver. 16. His hating instruction, and casting Gods word behind him, v. 17. His consent to the every, and partnership with adultery, v. 18. His evil unbridled tongue, v. 19. His slander even of a natural brother, v. 20. All these are put down as the sid fruits of this cursed error, and reall blasphemy, God & the sinner are alike, Thou thoughtest I was such a one as thy self; I was as well pleased with thy basenesse as thy self. This is a tyring wearisom error to the pure God. Ye have wearied the Lord with your words, yet ye say, wherein? when ye say every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the Lord, and be delighteth in him, or where is the God of judgement? Mal. 2. 17: There are not a few grosse carnal Gospellers, who when their unwasht heart, impure and wicked lives, are covered over with a white and beautifull vaile of professed Christianity do as heartily write themselves in their absurd, flattering, injudicious minds the children of God, the dearly beloved of his soul, as if they were the exactest walkers: Certainly those grosly intemperate, incontinent, covetous, malicious, unnaturall, prophane ones, that would rage at a Minister or private Christian, that should but so much as tel them, they fear and suspect their persons, hearts and lives, are abominable to God; doe not so much as scruple it, but they are the objects of divine loves and delights: What doth this amount to else, but this virtual and interpretative perswasion the holy God, and the vile sinner are alike? O that such wretches would consider, as the holy Scriptures in multitudes of places, so Gods angry avenging Providences, are the vindicating Patrons, and infallible maintainers of Gods purity, and after death, the great day, and to all eternity, he will prove by sadly convincing fierie arguments, the infinite distance between the holy blessed God, and the lewd cursed sinner. Did either gross, or close hypocrites under Gospel-profession, seriously consider, and deliberately reason, their own wickedness, and Gods holyness, what likes them, and what pleaseth God, search Scripture Records what the Lord hates, and what he is ravished with, & so ingeniously and faithfully conclude, these and these things according to the word of truth, are detested with a perfect abhorrence of the pure heavenly Majesty, and we are guilty of them, and are as loathsome in his sight as Toad, a Carrion, are in ours; it were impossible there should be such liberall and large allowances of carnal liberty, as there are too much under the favour of a divine approbation and delight. ‘Tis too common an error that prospering Providences are encouragers of wicked designs and practises. The Devil is a Devil still, lying and unclean, though his temptations prosper.

  

SECT. 13.

4. The Error that false evidences of Grace are true: An erronious rest on these, hath begotten too much Libertinism * in the Church of God: As,
5. Bare knowledge of Divine things, is too weak a proof of goodness: The Devils know but are unclean, full of wickedness: In their inlightned intelligent natures, there are the spiraul things of wickedness; The Apostles expression, Eph. 6. 12, The light of the Sun speaks not a Thief honest, nor the Adulterer chaste, who are both lewd by the beams of it: Bare Illumination speaks no man holy nor happy, to infer a good heart from a knowing head, is not a more common, then a foolish and pernicious inference. Ah foolish, impudent Christian, hath God laid thee in with a stock of knowledge, to licentiate thee to sin by the light of it? Will the aggravation of your sin, be the evidence of your good estate? A stock of Knowledge is one thing, of Grace another. The Gnosticks that vaunted much of their knowledge, were a beastly Sect: The bare light of Gospel propositions, will not fit for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light: Surely light is never gracious and saving, unless it Transform its receivers: They are children of light, 1 Thess. 5. 5. and they do not onely see it, but walk in it as children of light, Eph. 5. 8.
6. An Orthodox Judgement is no conclusive ground of grace: ‘Tis gross error, from Doctrinal soundness, to argue Cordial and Practical. A man may be sound in the Faith, Tit. 1. 13. but * not by the Faith: His light is sound that speaks against Theft and Adultery; but he is not found by his true light, that is a Thief and Adulterer, Rom. 2. 21, 22. A form of knowledge is one thing, Rom. 2. 20. A transforming into it is another, Rom. 12. 2. A man is sound in the Faith, that believes without regeneration no man can enter into the Kingdom of God: That Justification and Sanctification must go together: But he is not sound by this faith, that is neither regenerate, justified, nor sanctified: ‘Tis a loose deceit to argue a good spiritual estate, from a good speculative judgement: Spirits and Lives may be and are graceless, when contrary informations are bright and clear. Orthodox heads are too often contradicted by Heretical Hearts and Laws. ‘Tis a sound confession, that the Scriptures are the word of God, and Christ is the Son of God: There will be a day of Judgement, and a contrary everlasting Estate of Heaven and Hell; but do not all false Christians live as if those holy Articles of Faith, were Fables? Hear some men and womens sound expressions of their judicious intellectuals in matters of Religion, set off with seeming good affections, and you would conclude them Saints;* but watch their lives narrowly, and without wrong to charity, you must judge them reigning sinners: ‘Tis true one says, It is a vain thing to conceive, or speak judiciously, & not to live judiciously.
7. Outward Baptism: This alone is to weak a Plea to speak a Christian. Too many loose Protestants are practically Popish, who conceit, and trust to it, that Sacraments by the natural Elementary power, ex opere operato, confer Grace: They doubt not that they are actually regenerate, because Baptized, that they have had the sprinkling of the Blood and Spirit in their conscience, because they have had the sprinkling of Water on the flesh, whose unpurged hearts before God, and impure lives before Men, speak them strangers to the washing of Regeneration. Chrysostome was of another minde: In his Judgement a bare outward Baptism, and a vulgar Faith, were not enough to get and keep soul Purity: * He that will give proof, he is clean and glorious within, must shew it by a worthy conversation without. O the sad reproach of Christ and his Ordinance of Baptism: Under the sanctuary of Baptismal Christianity un-Christian hearts and lives, enemies to the Laws, the Spirit, and Cross of Christ, do shroud themselves, as Thieves in their Den: Scandalous abusers of Baptism, will one day know to their shame and smart, this pure institution was never appointed as a Protector, but a Destroyer of their wanton corruptions.
8. Bare stirrings of the affections towards good things, will not be currant witnesses of Grace: ‘Tis too common experience, good motions on the affections have vanished into evil, honorable into vile. The stony ground had joy: Light impressionsof Heavenly things, vanished into Earthly: Some sorrowand tears have been swallowed up in prophane mirth; a caroufing rouing meeting, hath still’d the raging, smarting conscience: Superficial delights in the grace and mercy of God, have been soon crowded out by worldly pleasures: Zeal hath ended in Luke-warmnesse, yea Key-coldnesse: Shame in impudence, courage in faint-heartedness, the fear of sin in carnal security. O Christians, deceive not your selves! It is one thing to move the affections, it is another thing to spiritualize and change them: They are not light touches, but mighty power on the affections, that kill sin.
9. A partial Reformation in doing some good, in abstinence from some sins, reputed Grace stands with much abuse of Grace: Partial duty, did not Saint Herod: He was a Wanton with his Herodias. The Wisdom that is from above, is without partiality, James 3. 17. is not fast in some duties and loose in others, but as the Counterpane of the whole Law, hath respect to all Gods Commandments, Psal. 119. 6. and would be compleat in the whole will of God. The old Man is loose, if in any parts of the Divine pleasure, or the least commands, he be willing to rebel: Christs Laws are coards, Psal. 2. 3. If strong lusts break any of them, with Love and Delight: The Government of Christ is thrown off. Innocence also, or abstinence from gross sins, is far from Grace, yea, is accompained with high Dishonors to it. Freedom from Oathes, Lies, unjust Dealings, Drunkenness, Uncleanness, are too weak premises to conclude Saintship: True Grace washeth inside and outside, doth not onely ordinarily rescue from gross, but close sins. The Pharisee vaunted of an outward strict abstinence, while he was loose within As the sober in the streets, are dissolute within doors, so the Pharisees Austerity, is but the vail of inward carnal Liberty: Christ saw their hearts, and discovered their self-justifying pride, the Extortion, Excess, Hypocrisie, Iniquity that lodged in their hearts, Matth. 23. 25, 28. The spiritual sins of Unbelief, Covetuousness, Heresie; the secret Atheism of unclean, shameless Hearts, in Gods presence, inward Apostacy, hardness of Spirit; the dominion of vain and worldly thoughts, and loose security in sin, are concealed abominations, which unrepented of, will infallibly cast sinners into Hell: Let such as are outwardly strict, and inwardly loose, who in words declare against Libertines, and yet have ungoverned wanton hearts; consider, the Divel himself would be content that they should leave some sins, if others reign: He well knows, that partial reformation is but changing the Master, not the Mastership; no ending the War, but alterning the seat of it; if he be driven out of some holds, he may domineer in others; where his mischief is less suspected, more fortified and pernicious: The flesh hath divers lusts: Deliberate choice service of any one, is enough to ruine: One disease may be healed, while another kills; one leak of a Ship may be stopt, while another drowns. Ah wanton Gospeller, be ashamed of thy wicked and deceitful reserves: God seeth what carnal close Dalliances and false Loves thy soul runs after; for thine out-side abstemious wary walking; thy self and others may stile thee a Saint, but thou art the black mark of Gods avenging destruction: The Psalmist sets a Loe upon thee and thy fellows, Loe they that are afar from God shall perish; yea further, he said to God, Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee, Psal. 73. 27. Thy severities against some lusts, will never speak thy chaste obedience to thine Heavenly Husband, whilethy willing wanton indulgencies to, Kisses of, and provisions for other lusts, speak thine whorish heart.
10. A groundless perswasion of Grace, as it argues none, so it exposeth Grace to notorious abuse: How irrational are carnal Gospellers, that vote bare confidences Arguments? that have no better reason to prove that they are Gracious, then Perswasion: What a silly argument is naked assurance in other things? A chained Prisoner is no free man, because in a sottish frenzy he perswades himself he is walking in the streets; nor is an unlettered man a Scholar, who is confident of his learning: A crackt Title, will not bear out the cheated Purchaser in Law, though he is assured of the contrary. O the sottish condition of unregenerate Gospellers, whose onely or main argument of their good Estate in Christ, is because they are assured it is so, and so neither dare nor will, by so much as questioning it, disturb their false peace! Is it possible this evidence should pass for Grace and Glory? How long, O self-deluding Wantons, will ye love simplicity? When you have given almost as large allowances to your lust, as the flesh will require: Can this support a perswasion that you are gracious? The Word did never witness to it, nor will the Spirit of God ever seal to it, that you are the servants of God, while the Devils Subjects; you are the children of Light, while you walk darkness; you are in the straight way to life, while you are in the broad road to destruction: A bare perswasion of being in a state of Grace, is a palpable delusion; where ever this is, by constant experience we know, that the Grace of God is abused.
11. Counterseit Grace conceived and believed real Grace, begets Libertines: The Devil appeared in Samuels Mantle, and reigning sins appear to Gods discerning eye, in the vail of counterfeit Grace. The old Serpent and the old Man, care not how glorious the notions and pretensions of Grace are: These are their friends; ‘Tis real Grace onely is their ruine: What grace is there, that is not without it’s counterfeit? The Devil is Gods Ape, and Corruption is Graces Ape: There is a shadow of true faith: Some things have a fine semblance of the love of God: That passeth among men as repentance, that is none: Pride is clad in Humilities cloathes. There is a natural unsanctifying meekness, that was never taught in Christs School, Matth. 11. 29. Wilde Passion puts on the name of holy Zeal: Pleasing and deluding carnal hope, is as easily perishing, as the Spiders Web is swept away. False uprightness, makes the Hypocrite pass for a most plausible honest man. The Ape in Mans apparel will have Apish tricks, and corruption in the cloathes of Grace, will and can do no otherwise then act like it self, a lewd Wanton; It ever makes the Devils trade, it’s good earnest, and Religious profession it’s pastime and sport.

SECT. 14.

5. THe error of abusive Interpretation of Scripture, hath sadly * produced loose Monsters in Religion: The Devil, the Arch-Antiscripturist, well knoweth, that the Scriptures rightly understood and used, are the down-fall of his Kingdom: If he cannot banish the faith of its Divine Authority out of the world, he doth what he can to hinder it’s efficacy: Among sundry ways he useth to make void the benefit of it, this is one to deprave the sense: If he can make Gods word speak his own interpretation he hath his end, a dark minde, a loose heart, and a debauched life: By turning the pure and genuine meaning of the Scripture, into strange and adulterate, he hath a double success; first the obedience of his own will, and then the colour and Patronage of Gods word, to make his cheats sacred and unsuspected: He hath Scripture on his side to consecrate and facilitate his wickedness, and his Scholars of sad delusion, wrest it to their own destruction, 2 Pet. 3. 16. Is it not made a Sanctuary for Popery, Herisie, Hypocrisie, Cruelty, Worldliness, yea, gross Prophaneness? O high dishonor to the Holy Ghost, who revealed to holy Men, who wrote and published the Scriptures, that spurious, idolatrous, silthy senses should be laid at the chaste doors of Gods holy word! O eminent peril to immortal souls! When bold Ignorance, carnal Affections, Lusts and Interests give the sense of the Word! The sad issue is, The word of life is turned into a word of death: The true Light of Divine Knowledge is dimm’d or blown out: Sincere Milk is turned into deceitful Poyson: The Chrystal Waters of the Sanctuary, are bemired, from holy turned into impure: The Hellish Archer endeavors to out-shoot God in his own Bow, and by the leave and licence of abused Scripture, he lures brain-shot erring Christians, into the ways of sin and death. To open this, wherein abusive sense of Scripture doth advantage a loose Faith and a wanton Life, as in Church History, in all Ages since the Apostles, and in the present Age, would be fitter for a Book then a Section. I shall instance in some Sect-Masters, or sides of corrupt Glossers and abusers of the sacred Text. Where were your understandings, O Arians! who could not see the plain God-head of Jesus Christ, in that you read him equal with the Father, without any robbery to his Glory, Phil. 2. 6. and that by him were made all things that were made, John 1. 3. Did ever meer Creature make all things? What though he said my Father is greater then I, John 14. Could you not distinguish, he was so as Christ was Man, or as Mediator, but not simply as the Eternal Son of God: These wanton wits, that by wresting the word, have denyed Christs God-head, the Mediator of Grace, and so possibility of Grace, have (as History Records) been abusive enemies of the Gospel of grace, and most bloody Persecutors of Orthodox and gracious Christians. So what high dishonor to God, the Law, the Gospel, Christian Liberty and Profession, have the Antinomian party published to the World, who have made these Scriptures, Ye are not under the Law, but Grace, Rom. 6. 14. The Law is   not made for a righteous man, 1 Tim. 1. 9. and such places, to speak that it never intended a discharge from obligation to the Laws direction and obedience; as an erring Preacher of this way, alledging this Text, Wherefore, my Brethren, ye are become dead to the Law by the Body of Christ, Rom. 7. 4. roundly said, Believers are not onely free from the Minatory and Promissory, but Mandatory part of the Law. A gross Opinion, which as it blots out the Ten Commandments out of the Canon, so it opens a door to all dissolute Conversation.

Further, What infinite mischief to the comforts of the Faith and hope of Christians, and to the power of godliness, have that pernicious Sect of Allegorists done, as to the glorious Article of Christian Faith, The •esurrection of the Body Hymenaeus and Philetus, held the Resurrection was past already, and overthrew the faith of some, 2 Tim. 2. 18. It is thought by some, they held no Resurrection but of Baptismal Regeneration, in which there is rising to a new life: The confounding and wresting the Corporal into an Allegorical Resurrection, was in Tertullians* time; His words are, There are those, who do wrest the resurrecion of the Body, manifestly declared in Scriptures, into an imaginary signification, a resurrection from the death of ignorance to the life of truth. Marcion, Basilides, Valentinus, Apelles, were poisoned with the same Error. Marlorat noted also; the same evil spirit surprized a sort of furious men possessed with Devils, who called themselves Libertines, who imagining an Allegorical Resurrection, deny the true, literal, promised resurrection of the Body. Satans grand design in overthrowing this great truth is a carnal, voluptous, dissolute life. Let us eat and drink, to morrow we shall die, will be the counsel and practice of the flesh, if the dead rise not, 1 Cor. 15. 32. The genuine fruit of such a corrupt error, is playing the wanton under, yea against the light of nature and grace. At what door any unstable, licentious Christians of the present Age, have suffered first the questioning, then the slight assent to, and lastly, the positive denial of the bodily Resurrection to come in, the care of good life goeth out. Moreover, The party of Perfectists, under the pretensions of a compleat transcendent grace, inherent in the regenerate, having first abused the word of grace, have eminently dishonoured regenerating grace. That sweet & grand truth, whoever is born of God, sinneth not, & Joh.

  

3. 9. That is, either the sinne unto death, or reigning sin as in the unregenerate, is wrested as the support of a possible perfect innocence, yea as the cover of any sinne, not to be accounted sin; if in the regenerate. The Pelagians and Catharists abused this place, so called, because they seigned Beleevers in * this life have an Angelical purity: some Anabaptists have renewed this dream. The same folly the Spirit of Error hath transmitted to the sottish Quakers. All which depravers of the holy Text, the same Apostle John that wrote it, hath sufficiently confuted in these words, If we say we have no sinne, we decieve our selves, and there is no truth in us. How easie is it for ignorant, loose. stupid sinners, to perswade themselves they are born of God? And if nothing they doe is sinne, with what bold security, unbridled liberty, and unconscionable insensibility, will they give themselves up to the uncontrouled swing of their domineering Lusts? How sadly hath the word of truth, concerning Regeneration and Perfection been abused, of old and present times. The saying of Marlorat hath been transcribed in the erring braines, and loose lives of some Monsters of Christian profession among us. ‘Tis the mad opinion of Libertines who perswade (said he) that all sense of sin is to be cast off, that it appertaines to imperfect men to be disturbed by the motions of conscience: And therefore they say they are truly regenerate in Christ, and raised from the dead, who have no more sense of sin, and think what sorever they do or hold pleaseth God. When they are taken in Adultery, and such kind of villanies, they doe not deny them, but say they are no sinnes to them, because they do not account them so but they affirm they are onely imputed to them as sin, who through their weakness think they are sins. If this be weakness to account sin sin and to be troubled for it, and it be Christian perfection not to think sin sin, nor to have an awakened sensible conscience of sin, I know not what wickedness is. O sad, and desperate delusion! Here is the plain efficacy of Satan, to, miscall an admantine, remorsless heart, Chriperfection of life and healths activity? Yet the of the Christian name, dare call the stupidity of a dead and seared conscience, Perfection. If we right name and nature it, let it bee called Perfection, but of wickedness, not holyness. ‘Tis a character of sinners past grace, They give themselves over to lasciviousnesse. to work all uncleanness with greediness; and that a licentious impenitent liberty may never meet with check again, they are said to be past feeling, the word imports, past grieving. Eph. 4. 19. There is some hope of recovery in a troubled conscience, none a sorrowless. Trouble of spirit for wickedness, may stop a bold careere hel- wards, and beget thoughts of returning, but he that gallops to destruction, hath not an inward pang, a sing, a groan, a tear in his way, must infallibly perish. Wel were it if this vile spirit of error had been in that hell of gross darknesse •hence it came; but the same impudent Diabolical looseness, that Reformed Writers condemned and discovered long. agoe, a generation of false adulterate Christians have revived, in our sad, infamous, and spotted times; I mean the Ergtish Borborities, impure Ranters, whose toadish natures have suckt up that venome their loose fraternitie powred out in the time of Calvin, Marlorat, and others; as Calvins Opuscula, especially his judicious and Zealous Tract against Libertines; and Marlorat in his New Testament Expositions. But O you scandals of the English name, and bolts of Christianity, Heavens scorn, and Hels triumph, the highest form in Satans School, that rant it out, in most free and liberal allowances of your uncontroled Lusts; that make not sins definition The transgression of Gods Law, 1. loh. 3. 4. but a Thought an Opinion! Nothing is sinne with you, unless you think and account it so, who have so much sinned against conscience, that you have quite cast off the sensible conscience of sin, if your debauched looseness hath not cast off the Eible and s•n-discovering books out of your hearts and hands, and providence may lead you to the reading of this Section, I beseech you fear, tremble, repent, and know the holy Text of which your impure hearts, unmotified lusts, vile affections, have given a depraved Exposition, be no patron of, but severe enemy against your monstrous impieties, impurities and unrighteous dealings. Wil you not be speechless in the arraignment of the Last Judgment, when from a double Tribunal of Nature and Grace, Reason and Religion, Paganism and Christianty, you will be infallibly condemned; You will learn that Virtue is Virtue, Vice Vice, Grace is Grace, and Sin, is Som, whether they be thought or beleeved so be or no, & a stupid conscience in a stupid hellish Liberty to sin, is no Christian but Diabolical Perfection. Consider from what stairs you have almost descēded into the bottomless pit. Have you not in spiritual pride despised the Ministry and Ordinances of Christ? Have you not been formal and dead under them, when you used them? Have you not often blunted by your stony, hearts, the home and wounding Arrows of informing reproving convictions? When you could not could your workes of darknesse with the divine light of truth; Have you not then to cover your old mans deeds, and quiet your often barking, yea sometimes byting conscience, called Gods lightdarkness, and Satans darkness light; Yea by a surer artifice to make you quite dead as to unquiet conviction? Have you not first given way to wicked scepticism, doubt almost every thing; and which is a further degree of soul-ruining delusion, the difference between Turpe and Honestum, Moral Malice & Goodnesse? Have you not by a cursed, indiscriminating difference, jumbled Holyness and Wickedness together, and made nothing sin, but what you thinks to be so? I cannot but tell you if all the Apostate Angells should sit in counsell, why would most ascertayne the the damnation of the children of men, pluck up all religion, and righteousness by the roots, destroy Churches and commonwealths, questionlesse your opinion and practises, would be the Devils master-piece to doe it. O Remember whence you are fal’n and repent. Be convinced the Law is holy, Just and good. God hath*pure eyes. No evil can dwell with him. He hath no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse. Study the Ten commandements, read Mr. Dod and others. Know and beleeve the Rules of the Gospel are strict and severe against Libertines; and be sure of it, your soul wounds are so deep and dangerous, that it must be an extraordinary repentance that must heal them. You that have wrested the pure word of Gods grace, and followed seduced Christians in the time of Ireneus, who held perfection, boldly asfirmed, they knew more then Paul, Peter, or any other Apostle, and yet ranted it like you in this opinion and practise, they freely did all things they pleased, without any fear in any things. O trace the penitentiall steps of a seduced sifter of your in error, the beantiful wife of a Deacon in Asia, who being by an inchanting love-cup defiled in soul, and Prostituted in body, by one Mark an unclean Magician, pretending to make the most rich and best apparell’d women Prophetesses, was with much labour converted, from her irreligions, and impure error and practise by the Christian brethren of that time, and ceased not to confesse with bitter teares and   mourning the impure violation of her body and spirit from that wicked Magician. Your Apostacy from Christ, into the impure sinke of corrupt opinion, and it may be ansverable practise, is very greivous, your return had need be eminent in constant mourning, bitter weeping, pure and strict living. So I pass from you to other Abusers of the Scriptures, Christian Profession, and themselves. The Apostle Peter hath an high expression of a real Saint, the living * picture of Christ. He is partaker of the divine nature, anhigh expression Marlorat thinks not to be parallel’d in the Old be parallel’d in the O and New Testainment, it is as if we should say the Saint were deified; Quasi, as if, not that he is so. The holy Writer well expounds the word Nature doth not design substance but qualitie; or, as I heard judicious Master Whitaker, now with Christ, interpret, The divine nature is not the divine essence, but the divine resemblance. The Manichees, a dissolute Sect, dreamed wee are the offspring of Gods substance, and at length after death * shall return into his Being our Original; so some fanatical men fancy, we shall pass into the nature of God, and his divine nature shall swallow us up, abusing as this Text of the Apostle Peter, so that of the Apostle Paul, 15. 28. God shall be all in all. Not that we are, or shall be, or can be parts of the divine essence, a blasphemy against the simplicitie of God, which is incapsble of composition or division, but because being partakers of * divine, created glory and immortallity, we shall be as it were one with God, in the light and life of a glorious estare, as much as vessels of honour are capable of. Some loose Libertines among us, the sad monuments of Apostasie from the Truth, have come near the brink, yea sunk into this blasphemous error. Moreover those Texts which answerable to natural reason, give God as the first cause and being, an universal causalitie and efficiencie in the Acts of second causes contirgent as wel natural & Rational, as of Sense and Vegetation, as That in him we have being and motion: He workssall things according to the Counsell of his will Go doth all and the Creature doth nothing without him: From the wrested truth of the divine concourse to secondary acts, doubt not boldly to lay their spurious wickednesse at the doores of the holy God, as if Gods motions in the creature pure, and innocent, could justifie the irregularities and monstrous exorbitances of sinful men, when they know without Coaction, they with a willing spontaneity, vile affection, and evill custome, doe mingle their corruptions with   Gods innocent operations. These wantons that shroud their sinnes under the Apology and sanctuary of Gods Agency in second causes, will be one day without repentance, informed in a distinction to their everlasting shame and punishment, That Gods working in vitious Actions, and theirs, are as different as light and darkness; His motion is Metaphysically and naturally good, theirs morally evil. His moving the faculries of the soul, and members of the body, are pure, unblameable, and necessary upon the presupposal of his being the first mover, intimately cooperating in every second motion, as also upon the necessary reputation of his infinite purity and goodness, which cannot be the least causative influence, in the least evil disposition or action, as formally evil, but it is they have blended divine pure activities with their own evil mixtures; as for example, It is Gods efficacious concourse, that the hand with a sword in it is stretched out, it is mans wickedness that hath made the motion murderous. Gods motions are strait, loose walkers motions are crooked. Gods actions are the fruit of his operative Providence, whereby being and moving is supported. Their actions are the impure results of depraved corruption. Last of all, among many revishers of the sacred Text from its pure and chast meaning, in reference to the Abuse of Grace, Mammonists with their filthy lucre, cast dirt on the holy Word, and are cum Privilegio worldlings by Scripture licence and countenance. Two texts among others, are the strong hold for their earthly minds: Parents lay up for their children, 2 Cor. 12. 14. And he that provides not for his own is worse than an Insidel, 1 Tim. 5. 8 •oth are true, but miserably abused by uncompassionate, covetous hearts. The first of laying up for children, was never intended to swallow up laying out in works of Charity and Mercy. But what though Gods allowance, and Parents indulgence may lawfully make their children, the heirs in part of their Estates, will this excuse their dis-inheriting Christ in the necessitous poor? will this excuse their rebelling against the Gospel? Old & New Testament requities for liberal alms; giving nothing, or next to nothing, in no proportion to estates. Amongst the sayings of ancient & modern holy writers, yea the confessions of heathens, that might easily swel into a Book: Some sayings out of Salvian, might make Scripture Worldlings to tremble, who profess their portion is in God, and give sad grounds of Jealousie, ’tis only in this life. When they thus Apologize, we know what   Gods Justice demands, what sacred truth requires, but we ••rfess, we are bowed under the yoak of our fleshly allience, we*have given our captive hards to the chairs of our Parental affections: The voice of blood is lowder then that of faith, and the rights of nature have swallowed up the devotion of Religion. Something may be said to cover, but not to cure the disease of worldliness, a shadow of excuse, not excusing, giving to the guilty a shew of deprecation, no security from the cry of guilt. O worldly I arent, whose all it is, to heap up estates for thy children, or the main of thy earthly travel and solace! The unhappiest man in the World! Doest thou think how well others shall live after thee, and not how ill thou art like to die? Tell me, I pray thee, O miser! O Infidel! when many are inriched with thy divided Patrimony, and greedy Purchases, have you so ill deserved of your self, as not to advantage your soul, by charity to strangers? * Take this choice admonition, Let no man prefer his dearest childe above his soul: Christians are so to consult the good of their Heirs in this life, as to accommodate themselves in Eternity:*‘Tis better that children should want something here, then Parients all hereafter: Present mean estate, is better then eternal poverty: Better that Heirs want a large Patrimony, then the Testators their salvation; yea, they to whom Inheritances are left, if they have any piety, bowels, mercy to them that leave them, should be glad of their pious liberality lest they perish. Hearken hide-bound heart-bound Parents, that have the judgement of withered hands upon you, to the words of Christ, He that loves Sonor Daughter more then me, is not worthy of me, Matth. 10. 37. Have ye banished self-love from your selves? soul love, is true self-love: O unbelief! O perverseness! ‘Tis a vulgar saying, Charity begins at home: This is a new kinde of Monster, to consult the well-fare of any one but ones self: Behold, thou art to goe, O man of matchless misery, to a sacred tryal, to that trembling and intolerable Judgement, where onely a good Conscience, an innocent Life, & works of Mercy, will refresh thee: Where a liberal minde, a fruitful repentance, and copious alms will befriend thee. What if immoderate scraping together for thine bei•s, shut Heaven against thee, * and open hell to receive thee; Will the memory of thine heirs vast and voluptuous Estate, ease thy Bed of flames? Will the thoughts of their delitious tables, even to glut and wantonness, afford thee a crum of mercy, a drop of water to cool & abate thy torturing   pangs? Hadst thou not been better by a Bill of Exchange to have sent a great part of thine Estate in works of mercy into the other world?

As to the other refuge of Tenacious, covetousnesse, he that provides not for his own house is worse then an Infidell, how is this Text made to speak on the Misers side? and how far from his Protection? The mind of the Spirit and the Apostle in those words, was not to countenance a confined use of christians estates within the Pale of their own families, but to taxe and caution against the Abolishment of naturall affections, and necessary provisions in carelesse family-guides, under the Pretensions of piety. This inhumanity to ones own flesh and bloud sets professed christians * below Heathenish Infidells, who are by the guide of Nature, propense to love their own: Of kin to this, is that Popish Inhumanity, which is cryed up for superlative Piety, if any leave their wife, children, and aged Parents, or go a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, or cloyster up themselves in a Monastery. The Catabaptists, as Marlorat noted, were besotted with the same madnesse, for leaving their wives and children; as astonished witlesse fanatick men, they run up and down, To propagate (as they fancied) the Dominions of Christ. The same wild course, the brainsick * besotted Quakers take in these dayes, leaving their dearest Relations, in tedious journyes, where Satan called the spirit is pleased to send them, whom the Holy Spirit calls worse then Infidells for undoing their families to propagate the light within them, from County to County, such as these as oppose Religion to the necessary provisions of this life, are here intended. But * what speak those words for worldly Christians of the other extream? Are not they worse then Infidells, whose improved naturall reason and moralities, have made them liberall to the poore and needy? Have not these denyed the Faith of Scripture, that abundantly commands charitable distribution? yea the True faith in God, that is ever fruitfull in the compassionate works of Almagiving? Thus too many with Scripture leave as they thinke are Bad Stewards of their Wealth, let the large waters of creature mercies, run out almost only in the channells of their own Families, are not the blessed cisterns to convey them into wanting houses.

Trace all the kinds of abusing Gods Grace to their proper Oirginalls,  and it will be experimented, the wresting of some Scriptures or others, hath been the cause of loose hearts and wanton lives.

SECT. 11.

THe third head of causes, why the Grace of God is abused, [unspec 11] * is Presumption, this also I shall branch out in five things.

1. The Presumption of a Preposterous Confidence in Gods mercy, this hath begotten carnall security, and strengthened the hands of wickednesse. Dreames of mercy have been the bane of duty, Patrons of loosenesse, and soft pillowes for delicate wantons to sleep on. God is good, God is mercifull, and therefore the old man dares be sinfull; as if God were not a prudent and pure dispenser, but carelesse prodigall of his rich mercies: he is beleeved to wast them on the Devills service, and to rain down their Heavenly showers, upon a barren wildernesse, an unfruitfull Profession. But where have we a word in sacred Writ, that the servant of sin must first be confident of Gods mercy? Did * eyer mercy priviledge and owne a lost sinner but on its owne termes? Tis true, mercy is to be found to the praise of the glory, not the infamy of mercy, as a cordiall to the fainting, a plaister to the wounded sinner, a spur to service, not a Feast to riot on, when loose Libertines take not mercy (the childrens bread) by Gods allowance, but like Dogs, endeavour to get it from his Table, and are cudgelled off from it: did they seriously consider the way of obtaining mercy, the Lessons mercy teacheth, the evidence of mercies possession, the Distinction mercy maketh, the reputation mercy must have in the world, they would soon be convinced, they are at as infinite a distance from mercy as they are from innocency and duty.

O that all loose Libertines that feast their lusts at mercies Table; and that commit this spirituall Burglary, of breaking into Gods house, to snatch away his mercy, would lay to heart five things.

1. They are not yet in the way of obtaining mercy, they understand not the method of mercy. As that 1. Christ is the mercy seat, the Throne of mercy, a mercifull High Priest, the great High Steward that gives out Almes of mercy, and gives it to Subjects fit to receive it. 2. That none enjoy it bit themthat are deeply sencible of their misery by sin, despaire of mercy by any but Jesus Christ. 3. That the obtainers of mercy are stil knockingat the beautifullgate of mercy, get Heaven by violence, wrastle for a * smile, a word, a Dole of mercy, as the Christians did in Tertullians time, We strike at Heaven (sayd hee) with our desires: We are close suiters to God, we pull down mercy from him, as Jacob did, that wrought hard in prayer for mercy, as the importunate Woman was, Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me, speeders for mercy are not cold, carelesse, indifferent Suiters. 4. That mercy receivers are humble, selfe-abasing, condemning Soliciters, wonder they are not in Hell past mercy, and the asking of it, like the Servants of Benhadad that came with ropes about their necks, at once confessing their deserts, & wooing the favours of a mercifull King. 5. That the priviledged owners of mercy, in an holy importunity will hear no •ay, but still lay prostrate before the Father of mercies, untill he shew mercy, Psa. 123. 2. A sweet warme looke of mercy beaming upon a cold fainting soule; the ordinary invaders of Gods mercy, who are not so much the Almes-men as the Theeves of mercy, ascend not to the Mount of mercie by mercies staires: but feed on a presumptuous fancy of mercy, wantonize with it, and have no saving part in it.
2. They learn not the Lessons mercy teacheth, in speciall two, Resignation, and Subjection. 1. Resignation, the giving upthe whole person in a reall gratitude to Gods service, who instead of a wonder of mercy, might have made the provoking sinner a Monument of vengeance. I beseech you by the mercies of God, give up your bodies, &c. Pom. 12. 1. 2. Subjection, As many as walke according to this rule mercy be on them, Gal. 6. 16. Every mercy saith, be dutifull; but choice, saving mercy calls for regular walking. Those licencious daring ones that challenge mercy, say with those in Jeremiah, We are Lords, we will not come to thee, are their own Masters, live as they list, know no Law but their Lusts, were never Schollars well trained up in the School of mercy.
3. They have no evidence of mercies possession, the fear of God is this great evidence, The mercy of God is from everlasting to everlasting on them that fear him. psal. 103. 17. Gods feare stands between two happy Eternities of mercy, as the faire mark of both; the decree of mercy from Eternity, the enjoyment of mercy to Eternity is the sure Felicity of all that fear God. O falshood, folly, madnesse! Too many that neither feare God nor sin, conclude a part in the mercy of the Booke of life, and looke for the endlesse mercy, of the other world, and by the prefamed license of mercy, live wickedly.
4. They study not the distinction, mercy maketh, surely all designed for mercy, are vessells of mercy, all that are, and shall be without it, are vessells of wrath: an unchanged heart, and unreformed life under mercy maketh no difference between the persons of mercy and wrath. If vessells of mercy may be Libertines, they & vessells of wrath both wil be carnall walkers, mercy & duty, wrath & sin, wil be an everlasting distinction between the heirs of Heaven, and the purchasers of Hell. Vessells of wrath will be Libertines if vessells of mercy are so too, the one is as good as the other.
5. They bring not Gods mercy in Reputation in the world, what honour hath God in pretenders to mercy, that abuse his Grace? They who are designed to mercy, are vessells of honour. 2 Tim. 2. 21. Not only to import they are called to honourable priviledges, but honourable services: As God honours them in holding out his golden Scepter of mercy to them, so they are to honour God in being glorious within, and wearing without the golden apparrel of an heavenly shining conversation, ps. 45. 13. paul obtained saving mercy, he was an high & eminent vessell of Honour, and he honourably used his mercy to the praise of its Author, I obtained mercy, and the Grace of God was abundant in me through Faith and Love. 1 Tim. 1. 13. 14. The garment of mercy God bestowed on him, was honourably and richly adorned by sanctifying grace. Licentious Professors do not honour but cast dirt upon the Robe of mercy; were it not for presumptions of mercy, false Christians would not so play the wantons under Gospell Profession. Did they think and speak the truth in our unregenerate hypocriticall and profane Estates, that there is no mercy for us, we are children of Wrath, if we live and dye so, we perish, this would damp the pleasing merry fits of sin, if this do not turn them Heavenwards, it will force upon them inward gripes and conscience pangs in the way to Hell. The same prophet that sayes, There is no peace to the wicked, Ifa. 57. 21. sayes also, He that made them, will shew no mercy to them. Ifa. 27. 11.

SECT. 12.

12. The Presumption of Interest in the Promises, is a cause * why Grace is abused, as unreasonably do foolish Gospellers fancy a part in the great Charter of the City of God the gra cious covenant of promises, as fools o• madmen imagine the Immunities and Priviledges of the City of London, belong to them who were never Apprentices there, nor in any other regular way got their Freedome. This glorious Interest a part in the Promises, too many vain walkers in the Christian name, no less falsly then boldly do assume. Tis •ith false Christians as Jewes, those made this their vaunt and proofe, That the Promises belonge dunto them, Rom. 9. 4. And those at every turne, after renewed dishonour to the Grace of God, can shelter themselves in the Promises; but where in the word, is there a title of a promise made to the wrongings of Grace? Hath the word of Promise made a soft bed for effeminate, delicate, lazy, lustfull, carnall security to sleep in? the promise of life to unreturning sinners, strengthens the hands of the wicked, and is a lie, Ezek. 13. 22. The God of Truth never promised life, ever threat neth death to the impenitent: The Devill, the flattering world, the wicked promise themselves life in the wayes of Death. The word doth note soure things, will discover the wickednesse of their Presumption, that impudent, unmortified christians, lazy convictions, have a right to the promises.
13. They have not, while the Abuse of grace raignes in them, a right to Christ, therefore not to the promises, Christ is the great gospel Promise, the great moving Wheel, by which all the Whee’s of the promises move. In him all the promises are •ea and Amen, 2 Cor 1. 20. To him they were made, therefore he is called The covenant of the people, Isa. 42. 6. so then no part in Christ, none in Promises, no taking of the person of Christ, no child of promise: Now its evident, that unreformed abusers of the grace of God, Lusts-servers, Flesh-pleasers, have no part in Christ, for they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the Affections and Lusts, Gal. 5. 24. and therefore as yet, are strangers to the promises, and children of Wrath under the curse, every moment in danger of Hell, the promises have not a good word for them. The confidence of being armed with the promises, will not keep such black markes, as are carnall wantons, shot free, from the mortall charges of the Lawes threatnings.
14. The promise is an holy promise, ps. 105. 42. Now an holy promise was never made to encourage and bolster up unholy hearts & lives: Tis true, immediatly before the sinners taking Christ, the promise found him unholy, but it doth not leave him so. In the first moment of taking Christ and right to the promises, an holy nature is infused, and its impossible that such a one should infuse the Grace of God and make void the promise.
15. The Spirit that seales the promise to the beleevers Soule in an holy spirit, Eph. 4. 20. Now as the seal leaves its owne print on the Wax, so the holy spirit seales the holinesse of the promises on the Soul: Where the heart is still unholy, the Devill seals his false promise, the spirit seals not his true one, the spirits applications of promises, are purifying and fortifying.
16. The use of the promise, is the improovement of Grace, not dishonour, it is for Gods sake & service, not the sinners, not barely to comfort, but mainly to cleanse; Having these promises, let us*cleanse our selves, 2Cor, 7. 1. Lust and the devill saith, having these promises, we may boldly sin, the promise will help in case of sin, guilt, and disquier. Most true is that of Luther, The wicked filch and take the promises of Grace to themselves, for their carnall comfort.

SECT. 13.

13. The presumption of a false Peace, hath betrayed many to * the injury of Gods grace, quiertnesse speakes no safety nor goodnesse of conscience, the Dormant Lion when awakened will roare and tear, the Prisoner is neither secure nor cleane, because he sleeps in a cold and filthy dungeon, though he be merry and loose in his restraint, he is under the lash of the Law, and neer the sentence of the Judge. Though there be no true Peace to the wicked, Isa. 57. 21. Yet they please themselves with the Devills peace, Luk. 11. 21. While God lets them alone, and the Devill disturbs them not, in meane while the old man (upon presumption of Liberty of conscience) shelters himself under the * wing of grace. This security is not long lived, though it be lasting, tis not everlasting, sins calms prove the worst storms, a calm air hath ushered in sea storms, & Earthquakes; the wind in the bowells of the Earth is silent and quiet for a time, at length it breaks out, roars, and hurls Hills, Feilds, and Houses into a dark and ruinous Abyss. Indulged, pampered sin in the soul is silent and quiet for a time, but at length it breaks out, and roares in horror of conscience, and hurles all false comforts into the dismall pit of despaire: Although blood toucheth blood, Hos. 4. 2. And there be a contiguity, a close addition of sin to sin, drunkennesse, be * added to thirst, yet many blesse themselves in the imaginations of their hearts, and say they shall have peace, Deut. 29. 19. yea walk according to the deluding Dictates of their hearts, because they say so: Had it not beene for Lust and the Devills peace, the awakning terrors of the spirit of bondage might have driven many out of Hells way into Christ; but because stupified consciences are peaceable, they dare be filthy and abominable, and this is the sad tragicall issue of the merry comicall Acts of sin, in the stage of this life; That ease which hath first tempted to sin, ends in torment, The ease of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fooles shall destroy them, Prov. 1. 32. When they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travell upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape, 1 Thes. 5. 3. They shall say: who shall? the next verse 4. Tells us, they who are in darknesse (and do the workes of darknesse by the comfort and confidence of peace) that the day (of angry Justice) overtakes as a Theife, they shall say peace: Ah sad peace worse then war, the snare and trap-doore to fall into destruction! Happy had it been for the filthy Peace-dreamers of bad hearts and lives, that with the repenting Jaylors, they had had heart tremblings, then with the secure Sodomites a fair morning, a sun-shine of prosperity, should usher in fiery avenging stormes of warth. How wise and safe had been their estate, that at once have peace with sin, and (as they think) with God, had they at once seen God, and sin their enemy, their softest beds had been to them beds of Thornes, their sweetest comforts, bitter vexations, the creatures armed against them, feared their   very meat might prove the