"*/'

SOME BRIEF

HIN & HELPS,

TO

Faith, Meditation, Prayer, Comfort and Holinefs.

Communicated at Chrffthurch.TjVKLlN

f7Go(icTIASf ARRIS' ' Mini^tle

'Enlarged with S-PIRIXUAL PI

in above XXX Cafes, By Mr. John Hunter Mimfter of the Gofpel at Ayre.

RKE ^Printed, By m

(

T 0 HI S

EXCELLENCY;

The Lord Henry Crom- wel, Lord Deputy of Ireland.

May it pleafe Your Excellency,

THE reafon why Ifuffer this Dif- courfe to go abroad, and not fome others^ ( though urged by Friends, yea commanded there- unto by Your Excellency and the Coun- cil, ) is partly to beg Pardon for that Dif- bbedience, partly to evidence, that it was ho defett in my Will, but in my Notes and wanner ofwr'tting, that hindred mefrem ' faying that Obfervance, -which now I j yield-, But effect ally y becaufe the Spirit of God, ( for mine own, or a worfe,w«- ther. could, or would ever have done any i fucb good office for we $ / . .fay therefore i undoubtedly the Spirit of God ) by tbefe , A 2 and

16.

&he

Epiftle Dedicatory.

and th* like Inje&ions ^^Intimations, hehing me to plead and pre fs thent, and to hold them -up before ' the : Lord, and to fpread them before Kim, as Hezekiah did the Letter/£<**Z> -many^a time, fuft- ainect 4fl$LckpqjecL mineL^wn featt,~4n4 Jo renewed tfye face of that wrtk after much Winter weather, after many Tnh, Troubles ,^and Tremblings : far when Godfpeafa, where are the Xips, that wiU ftab. \. nr)* quiver at His voice ? bits who fe bawi will not rot tennefi enter ?-andhapj>y they, and they only, who n\w nimble in themfelves, that they may reft in the day of trouble.

This, (not to mention-any other ground) gives ^ne. fome Jmall glimmering of hffe, that^ the Ja/ne Powerful Spirits, majffe p!ta.Jed;alfo, further to. mamtge and im- prove, the Ja>ne Medium , to the relief and advantage of others : J nd ( I can Jay: it .) it is ufefullnefs and fer vice. that I have aimed at in this enterprise,

\Amongft.ali /ia? Helps io~D*votion that Jhauefeeh, ( ' 1 mean Books fo intitled, coh/monly. containing fome Fdrmsof Pray- 4tib) I .remember not any} thing, at all ofkin t'dahh •Undettakeifig, which tends tQ\teIptlw\&\£t, not'^djtint the Spirit of VjAfCtyimd i only I Ayes a few flicks together , Ipaittiiup-W the- Wood where

mere

Tfre- Epiftle Dedicate ry.

ntoje may b* had) which by His own breath, He may. be pkafed-ta kindle,

Whatever ftrangers, either in place or affeBim may imagine, I know Your Ex- cellency' to be a Pleader, and ( I hope ) a Prevailer with God daily.

I therefore offer- this poor "Enkynpto You, notfo much by way ^/Ailiftarrce, as of 'Ac- knowledgment that under God Ton have been, and are the Inftrumental xaufe of my enjoying afttllnefs of Opportunities, of do- ing-fonre fetvice in- my Generation^ the value whereof I defire daily to renew upon my Heart, above all the things that this World, can afford, or brittle Mortality enjoy, / __ •

As it hath been "four Lordfhips mer- cy, that hitherto you have had help from on High, to know and Love the Lord, His Name and Image where ever you difcern it, and to walk acceptably with Tour God, and ufe fully to his People, for which you ha**.)e your Record on High, your Witnefs amongtt men, and in your own Bofom : fo it is now become your Obligation, and only Inter eft, ft ill to be found in the fame wayes of Righteoufnefs ; wherein that you may per f ever e unto the End : and that your Path may be, as the mining Light, which lhiaeihjovf|- more and more unto tlse~- perfect ^ay I That Ton, your mo ft

precious

The Epiftle Dedicatory. % r

precious Confort and hopeful Children j titay prove an ineftimate Bleffing in this World, *nd eternally Bleffed in that to come, is> andfkall be the daily prayer of?

( My Lord )

Your Excellencies wortblefs but rnofi wihing Servant.

Tho. Harrifon.

Lemmata

^

4^ $£& ^P^f^t^fyf*

^

&>

Lemmata Cafuum. Arguments in Cafe of

1. I Nacquaintedneft with the Lord* KX Page 25

2. iSW* of more than ordinary unxorthi- nefl ever to be Acquainted Javingly nith GOD. P. 19

3. Jealoufie as to the hove of Qhrifl. P. 36 ^ Jealoufie concerning God the Father.

P. 4Q

5. JW of Unbelief P. 56

'6. Fear of Hypocrifie. P. £1

7. Fear of being afted only by a flavifb

.Spirit of Fear. S. Sevfe of fearful Bachflidings

9. Senfe of (Iron? Corruptions.

10. Fear of great Afflitlinns.

1 1 . Senfe of. extremity of pain.

1 2. Defertion felt, or feared.

1 3. Exercife in Ft lends. Relations, Name •r Eftate. P. 90

14. Sudaip

P. P. P. P. P. P.

66

7l

76 8o 85

The Contents.

14. Suddain difq&etmenf from CloU<(y Projxdences. P. £4

j $.. Dread of f pin tual Judgments, bard- nefs of hearty unprofitablencfs, Under means of Grace. P. $r8

J 6. Tear that Prayer is not beard. P. 106

1 7. . Fear that God can -never taSce any Special Delight in fuch a Polluted Piece. P. 3

18. Year tffEjeftmentyDrUnfervkehkle-

vefe. P: ti8t

19. Fear of being cafl of at lajf.. £. 1 24

20. InteSceffion for others : with Qflh- plaints concerning many things that are amifs in our times. Where theTft- vine .Right ofty tha is poven.V.i 2 9

E R RATA.

■TN the former part of this ®6okr dd$eW [ Mr. H'irrifdn, there are a fe^ literal E- lcapes,in fome copies>4udh the Candid Jkeia- €t may eafily amend, a^fdllo^s ; J'age k|;¥« ,6. read f&$. and line 14.x. -pkniirtg. j>. fcj. 1. ^8 > r. flfcff. -p.- 1\: 1 . 19. r. cMaifity, and & £$. r. Arguments, p. 55-1- 2.8. 1. cxt^a. p..6o. k 1^. for ^.,-jead Vy. p. 61. 1. 1. r. Goorf. p. 6$. f ijK *:>/;?! */;e. p. 67. J. 10. t.- bitter, p. 75- 1. 12. & Cfoi/L p. 77/I. *}. r. ffe.p/^. 1. t. r. %e'u%& trouhle:^. Toi* 1. T7. for 4, tear! the. p* U<>; J. .12. forftate or ftation, read ftate ana Action. y. 172. 1.2j.readP/^wi/5.p. 148. iiaeiilt. i.

4>9MiM±

Topica Sacra ;

Spiritual LogicL

- j __.

Job 23/3, 4.

0 That I knew where I might find hhn ] that I wight come even to his feat !

1 would order my canfe before him, and' fill my month with Arguments.

HOly Job , poor now , even to a Proverb, and miferable to a Prodigy, perceiving his friends Difcoarfes were fuller of Reproaches than Confolations , ne- glects to anfwer them, and refolvee to get him to God , the only Support and Refuge of the miferable. . And thus M entertains himfelf in the I fecond verfe, even to day, after all that j hath been faid , Exajperatio efl querela Drufo & wea the bitterneft of my complaint is ra- toiwl 1 B flic*

Spiritual Pleading*,

ther increafed than allayed *, wherefore

no wonder my mouth is alwife open to

breath out "complaints', and the more I

complain, the more I fuller from you,

,gr.-iw^7x(fo feme J or rather from 'God himfelri

TTohU Whofe handl acknowledge in all thefe

ncight trj.'ftroalcs \ and let me complain as long as

fvlo. I will my tongue is not fo eloquent in

Grotius complaining as his hand is heavy that

m loc. ftnfces me^.my ftroak is heavier than

my groaning.

And yet for all this, verfe 7. he flghsf after a Treaty, after a nearer accefs and approach unto him that ' Trait es him v he quites his feeming friends to make after his feeming Enemy, and is willing to make this enemy his Judge, and to refer all to him.

And then, verfe 4. He thinks with himfc.lf how he would manage his mat- ters, how he would beftir himfelf, and not lofe his caufe for want of pleading, could he but get a day of hearing v 1 would order my caufe before him , and ■ fill my mouth with Arguments.

Some think he wifhes for a Guide, a Friend to. help him to fuch an op- 1 portunity. jghtis det noffem ( faith Dm- fiu* ) quis mibi tribuat ut cognofcam ( fkith the Vulgar ) quis dabit fcirem ( faith Montanus ) quis eft qui pofsitfa-

cerc

1 . ' ..i - . . i -| I ■ ii • 1 i 111 I ■ ■■

and Ex f oft ul at ions. 3

cere ut valeam accedere (faith the Syri- ae ) he would fain find an Angel to con- duit him to the Throne of God ( faith Renault ) or rather the Angel of the Co- xnTiis pa- venant to afford him that ^p#5&>«>Taphfafe that Manuduftion which the ApoftleuPolC^| fpeaks of, as the known privilege ofallpia;-e; Believers, who through him have an ac cefs by one Spirit unto the Father, Efh* 2. 18.

But not to darken the words in ftead of explaining them, by giving the vari- ous readings and opinions of Interpre- ters, I will draw out fome obfervations, and haften to that I defire to infill: on.

Objerv. 1. The for eft ftroaks cm\- Ob few at. not drive away good fouls from God, but rather draw them nearer to him. My ftroak is heavier then my groaning- yet O that I knew where I might find him !

2. God himfelf, even for his owa fake, 19 the great Objett of a Saints feekings. O that I knew where I might find him! not this or that to be g:ttea by him.

3. Precious fouls- that have a large Inter eft in God, are fome time's at a 1 ft, as to his fweet and fenfible Prejenler^ The great God hath his unknown Re-

\iteuu^ whether, fajs beft friends- can not B 2 folbvV

Spiritual Pleadings,

follow him. So verfe 8, 9. heboid, I g° forward, but he is not there \ and back-' ward but I cannot per ci eve him \ on th& left hand, where he doth work, but lean- not behold him ; he hideth himfelfon the right hand that I cannot fee him. So holy David, Vfal 6l. I. 0 God, thou art my God, early will I feeh thee. You fee his Intereft is clear •, he can fay- thou art my God, and yet he had but little en* j oy me nt of him: his foul thirfteth, Jong- ethy followeth 3iard after him, ' ver. 8* Such another figh ye have, Vfal 101. 2. O when mlt thou come unto me} Do not conclude ye have no intereft, be- caufe ye have little en joyment^ no U- tiion, becaufe ye want Vifion.

4. A gracious heart feldom or never thinks it felf near enough unto God, its Sun and Shield, and Center: 0 that I fcneiv where I might find himf that I might come even to his feat !

5, Gods Judgement-feat* where he fits to hear and determine caufes, is not terrible or unapproachable to a Belie- ver, who knows it to be a Throne of Mercy, as Job here did *, for, fays he , verfe 6. how would he ufe me, if he Had me there? would he overwhelm [ me with his greatnefs > will he plead againft me with his abfblute Power > 1

and Expoftulations.

No, but he would put itrengtii in me : Happy are ail that can lay io, tor we piuit all appear there, 2. Cor, 5. 10, ir. and it will be terrible to all thofe that do not or ten relbrt thither afore-hand. .6. A poor afflicted creature often thinks he hath a great deal to fay un- to God, if he could but get an hearing *, he thinks how he would order and ar* gue out the matter; what a ftory he would tell him, if he could but get his ear, gain accefs and audience from him.

7. It's good to have our hearts and jnouths nTd with Arguments when we come to plead and Expoftulate, and reafon out our great concernments with our God.

This is the point I pitch on, toespell that fpirit of {lumber, which hath fo much weakned the fpirit of Prayer in our days, that comparatively they are but little enriched by it, who trade to Heaven with it, where God hath all • good things lying ready by him, and waiting only for Prayer to come and fetch them away.

When Clirift himfelf would give us 2 perfect Pattern of Prayer, both for mat^ ter and manner, he winds and wraps up all with a conclusion, Mat. 6. 13, con-? fifting of certain reafons to perfwade B 3 Go4

Spiritual Pleadings,

God to hear our prayers, or at leaft to perfwade and allure our felves, that he doth and will hear them: the reaibns have an influence into all and every- one of the Petitions , Thine is the King* dom ; and therefore we expert that as a good King thou fhou Idfr receive and an- K-J. 72. fwer our Petitions: it is thy concern- 12,1 5,14, rnent as a King to have thine honour l$r advanced, therefore hallow thine own

name, glorifie it in the Church, let thy Kingdom come to it, advance thy Will in it, fuftain us thy Subjedts, pardon our fins, keep and defend us from Evils. So Thine is the Vower^ which Kings 1. Ki:ie.0^ten tiraes want} but thou art able to 6.16) 27. exalt thine own name, to extend thy Kingdom over all, to fit us to do thy will, to minifter to our neceilities, to pardon our fins, to preferve us from all Evils.

And thine is the Glory •, The hallow- ing of thy Name is the chief part of thy glory 5, thy Kingdom the prime place cf thy glory 5 herein art thou glorified , when we obey thy Will, when thou provider!: for thy people, forgiveft their fins, preferveft and deli vereft them from their Enemies-, therefore do thou all thefe things for us^ therefore do we truft and hope that thou wilt do all. thefe ihines for us. Thus

and Ex f ovulations.

• Thus our blefled Saviour doth direSi tis, and thus the blefted Saints hzveprac-' tifed m all Ages.

When the people of Ifmel had made the molten Calf, and committed Ido- latry with it, and God was about to deftroy them for it, fee how Mofss in his prayer for them lays hold on the avenging hand of God, and frays it by reasoning and arguing , from the difho- nour that would redound unto God if he lhould deftroy them*, and from the Covenant that he had made with their fathers, Exod. 32. 11, 12, 13, &c. And Mofes befought the Lord his God, and faid, Lord , why doth thy wrath war hot againft thy people which thou haft brought forth out of the Land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty -hand ? ( thou art now greatly engaged in thebufinefs) the Egyptians will {lan- der thy gracious Intentions, and fay it was for mifchief with a purpofe to flay and confume them. Remember Abra- ham, Ifaac and Ifrael thy fervants, to whom thou fwareft by thine own felf that thou wouldft deal otherwise with their Pofterity .* and fee how he prevails verfe 14, Tne Lord repented of the e- vil which he thought to do unto his people. So when he would have de-

ftroyed

Spiritual Pleadings

ftroy ed them for murmuring, Mofes in" terpofeth again ior a pardon, and fills his mouth with Arguments, Numb, 14* 13, &c. The Egyptians will hear it, and they'l tell ftories of thee to the In- habitants of this Land, and they "1 /lan- der thy Tower, and fay, becaufe thou wert not able to carry them any further, thou didft rid thy hands of them in the Wildernefs ^ Now therefore I befeech thee, lhew what thou canft do, put forth the greatnefs of thy power in pardon- ing , as thou haft fpoken , of thy felf, ;and as thou haft practifed hitherto in forgiving this people from Egypt even nntill now. And fee how he carries it at again, verfe 20. The Lord J aid I have fardoned according to thy word.

So Abraham, before him, Gen. 18. 2?, 54, 2 %. Wilt thou alfo dejlroy the Righ- teous with the wicked? thdt be far -from thee to do -y after this manner to flay ( pell mell) the righteous with the wick- ed, and that the righteous fhouldbeas the wicked-, that be far from thee-, fhall not the Judge of all the earth do light ? And you know how he fhrunk up and narrowed the number, till he thought he had got within the verge of Lot's Family, and expected that (hould afford fa many righteous perion*

and Expofiulations.

as he named $ but he was out in his charitable conjeSiure ; otherwife he had not faiFd in what he pleaded for. He gained ground at every* advance , and God yielded till Abraham thought he had Enough, and fo prcfled him no fur- ther.

Thus Jolhua when the people were fmittenat At , Jojb. 7. 7, 8, 9. Alas, 0 Lord God, fays he, wherefore hafl thox at all brought us over Jordan > or was it our Ambition and Covetoufnefs that brought us over} would to God we had been content and dwelt on the other fide Jordan. O Lord God, what fhall I fay- when Ifrael that ( uscd to be vidto- riow ; turneth their backs before their enemies ! and now theyl all hear of it and environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth $ and if that were the worft, it were no great rnalter -5 but what wilt thou do unto thy great 'Name ? that will hardly fwim if ours fink, they are fo twirled together, fo imbarqued in the fame bottom 5 and 'though Ours be Vile, That's Precious j though ours deferre to rot, what hath that deferved? and think what thou art about to do to thy great Name. Thus Hezekiah in his ficknefs, Ifa. 38. 27 3, Remember new 0 Lord , I hefeech

thee

: J

IO Spirit nail Pleadings.

how I have walked before thee in truth ; J have had an Honeji heart towards thee, thou knoweff it ; and mufl I now be. cut off untimely ? when all things are fb Unfetled now or never is the time for thee to give Teftimony to my fincerity ^ and you know he had a Reprive pre-* fently brought him.

Thus he Argues in his diftrefs becaufe of Senacherib, 2. Kings I 9. 1 ?, Sec. They have indeed made work with the gods of the Nations, and caff them into the fire, becaufe they were no Gods-, but now that they come to meddle with thee and thy pec fie, let them find it too hot for them, and let all the Kingdoms of the earth know that thou art the Lord God9 even thou only.

Thus Afa, 2. Chron. 14. 11. 0 Tori our God, we reft on thee, .thou art our God, let not man prevail againft thee.

Thus Jehofaphat, 2. Chr. 20. 6, &c.

Thus Daniel, Chap. 9. to the 20. ver. &c. Thus Amos Chap. 7. ver. 2, 3, 5, 6.

Thus the Apo'ftles, Aft. 4. ver. 24. to 3 1.

Not. that God {lands in need of our informing him concerning our necefTities, which Ke; knows better then we ^ but becau e hereby we give fome proof that .we .are not altogether ftrangers at home ( as many carelefs ones are ) but knop

fomething

and Expoflulations. n

fomething of our fe Ives, and our own cafes, and of him Him a.nd his dealings' towards us : But I will give no other grounds for the point, then thofe oijobs refolution for this practice ^ and they are thefe.

■ i. Upon earoeft arguing God will undoubtedly anfwer fome way or other ; that's implyed, verf. 5. I would know the words that he would anfwer ?ne, and tsnderftand what he would fay unto me. An anfwer I may be fure of when I fill my mouth with arguments $ he will not fit frill and fay nothing •, .he will not fit like an Image, like a dumb Idol, as the Abominations of the Heathens, their D'ii Stercorei, their dunghil-Gods ( as Tremeh they are called, Deitt. 29. 77.) muft of neceifity do* 3 they can do no other wife, though men/// their mouthes with Argu- ments, and empty their veins of their blood before them, t. Kings 18* 28.

No fays Job^he will undoubtedly an- fwer could I but have my fill of plead- ing-, and I might guefs at his defigns by his anfwers ( which are now too wonderfull for me) \ might understand what meaneth the heat of this great Burning and wherefore he contendeth with me, and what he Means and in-* j?nds towards his poor creature.

# Arguments

1 2 Spiritual Pleadings,

Arguments then in prayer are not lit? \y to go unanfwered, and praying Souls hnd it fo.

Sometimes he anfwers glorioufly from his fecret place of Thunder, yet not in Thunder but in Lightning, in fome glo- rious irradiation, in fome precious melt- ing Promife born in upon the heart with a ftrong hand, and there Engraven in indelible Characters by an irrefiftible power, whereof gracious fouls in our days have had abundant experience.

Sometimes he anfwers in fomt fecret fnpport only, - as Hannah after her ar- guing and pouring forth her forrowful foul into his Bofom, when {he had left her petition in his hand, or but laid it- down at his feet •, though fhe had no o- ther Fiat then what was written on her heart by an invifible finger, yet {he went her way well apaid , and fell t to her meat, and her countenance was no more fad, i. Sam. i. 18.

And furely one or the other of thefe made David clofe up fo many Pfalms with Praifes & Rejoycings, which he had fregun with tears and mourning-, an ob- vious obfervation, 8c clear evidence that ■-. even whilfl: he was on his knees before the Lord, the wind came about and blew upon him out of a warm corner, and made all his fyicesfow. Som *

' ! I ■ •

and ExpoftitUtions. 1 3

Sometimes God anfwers in fome pro* tidential difpenjations, which both gratis fie us for the prefent, and might inftruB us for the future -, for many, very many Providences are Prophetical,and do foie- {hew tilings to come} but the language of Prophecies is for the niofl: part ohfcure^ and we feldom underftand it, till God interpret it in /the accomplifhment j an Inftance whereof we have in A8s, 7. 25. Mofes his defending the Ifrae- lite, and avenging him that was oppref- fed, and fmiting the Egyptian, had a further reach , drift and fcope in it, than barely that prefent vindication: for he fuppofed his Brethren would have underflood how that God by his hand would deliver them, but they underflood not: no more do we many times the full Extent and Import of a difpenfation which ecchoes to Prayer ; yet for the moft part we pick fomething out of it to flay the ftomack, and to afford Sup- fort, if not fatisfaBion.

Plead then, and fill your Mouths with Arguments -, for when ever you do fo, beyond all peradventure God will anfwer.

Secondly, There's no feat that he will interpret this fawcinefs and pre- emption in thee, and fo anfwer the©

witla

14 Spiritual Pleadings

with his Fifts about thine cars, or with his foot to kick thee out oi his prcfence* there is no fear that he will imother thee under the weight oi his GreatneiV or dazle the with his beams, or burn the with his flames, or drive the from the Judgment feat ( as Gallio did the Jews, Acl. 18. 16. ) No he never beats his people lower then their knees, and thence fuffers them, yea helps them to rife again ^ nay he will lay his hand upon thy head, yea under thy feet to do thee good ^ He will firoke rather than jlrike a pleadinfi Soul \ He will jhengtb- en Thee, and put Mettal into Thee ^ this is Job's confkleration in the fix th verfe, Will he plead againft me with his great and abfolute Power, by which he may do what he pleafeth with his poor Creatures? Will he ferve me fo> v Ko, but he would put flrength in me :

Thus he dealt with Daniel, Chap. 10.19. Thirdly, There the Righteous may fie ad and difpute with him even at the i Bar of Equity and Juftice, yea and the Judge cannot but pronounce and pafs . fentence in their favour ^ that's his en- couragement, verfe 7. there the Righ- fetkts'mxy plead with hfm, and fo fhall I be delivered for ever from my Judge, never more dread him as a Judge, but . , f©

and Expostulations, 1$

fo as withali to love him, and live with him as a Father.

There righteous Jeremy pleads with him, Jer. 12. 1, &'o, Righteous art tbott .0 Lord^when Iplea&fith thee :( there's •no queftion to be made of that, that admits of no difpute ) yet let me talk with the of thy Judgements.

There he invites his people to come and plead freely, If a. 43. 26. Put me in remembrance, let us plead together , declare thou that thou may eft bejufti/ied. If thou haft any thing to fay for thy felt* fay on.

Nay even Idolaters {hall have this fair play, permi-lion to plead for them- f elves, and for their dumb Idols too, if they have any thing to fay Tor them, If a. 41. 21. Produce your Caufe faith the Lord, bring forth your flrong Reafonsy faith the King of Jacob. Have Idolaters this Liberty, and not the true Wor- Ihippers that v/or(hip in Spirit and Truth > The Wicked fhall they have it, and not the RighteoHS ? Yes dobutlefs, EP&- t* this is that wt?y»w*,( tranflated boldnefs "',*£ offpeech, 2. Cor. 7 . 4. ) mentioned as JcaMm the great privilege of the Saints, efpe- museum daily now under the New Teftament, %«"»'*

Heb. 10. !%&c. l%mt tZ*, flfefrWav ei; "/^f

tUu «W«r, having therefore boldnefs to numgra-

enter mt Bee.

1 6 Spiritual Pleadings,

enter into the holieft by the blood of Jefus, ( a Right and Freedom to enter in our perfons hereafter, and now by our prayers ) let ^is draw near with a true heart, in fptaflurance of Faith.

*• But may fometfay, There the righter bus indeed may p4ead with him^ and not be caft in their: fuit ; But where are thofe righteous Ones ? And who are they > for it is not fo with me : God be mercifull to me a grievous fim tier •, I dare not be fo bold wfth him 5 Iniquity muftfiop htr mouth.

I anfwer, Every one that hath a fhare in, yea a fincere defire after the Right eoufnefs of Chrift, is righteous be- fore him, and may in that Righteouf* nefs Plead and Prevail, and as a Prince have Power with God:, For this is his own Righteoufnefs, of his own Contri- vance and Appointment : The Right eouf nefs which is of God by Faith, Phil. 1* 8, 9. A Righteoufnefs Spun and Woven out of his own bowels, and the obedi- ence of his dear Son •, a better than ever came upon the back of Angels, for which the perfonal and legal Righ- teoufnefs of a Paul, of an Angel, is to be abandoned*, Evangelical being far better than Angelical Righteoufnef*.

^Tiefaid, when ViUt appeared in Chrifti

Garment;

and Expostulations;

Garment which he had got from thfr Soldiers^ C&far coilld never be angry with him * 'tis certain then canft not mifs a Bleifmg in his Garments, who is not aihamed to be called thine Lld*r Brother, who came to change cloatbs 8c places with thee, and to take all upon himfelf, that thou mighterr. efcape* The Father cannot but be well plcafed with the fmell of his Son's raiment $ Be he fits too upon a feat of Judgment, St muft do thee Right-, and Juftice itfelf ( which will not be twice pay'd ) is as much for thee, as much thy friend as Mercy, Rom. 2. 26. He is Jtift, and yet ( nay therefore ) a JuStifier of him that beheveth on Jefus. So that if thou art not utterly ihut up in unbelief, if their be but the leaft fpark of true Faith a* live in thy heart, thou mayeit plead and prefper.

But I have nothing to fay for mf Qyprt felf -, my heart is dryed up .like a Pot- * ' fheard, and withered like grafs. I have find away all arguments, and muft ne- ver open my Mouth any more before hint?

1 True, not to Boast, but to Plead 'jnfir, thou mayefb

2 Aud^haft thou nothing to offer > not a figh? not the groanings of thy Soul ? ihWV&s Job ?s preface, ret, 2, Mjftrofe

1 8 Spiritual Pleadings.

is heavier then my groning. 0 that I ]cnew where I might, find him ! where the heart is lull as Jobs was (you may perceive it by his iighang ) the Month will not be empty, a tali heart will Mil the mouth feme w.iy or other ^ it the h. .rt be full oi ajjeition, the mouth will be mil oi arguments. They deceive their own fouls who fay their Hearts are as Good as the heft ( they thank God ) though they make no (hew, when nei- ther God nor men can hear ought that's good come from them. Pfal. 37. 20. The 7nouth of the Righteous fpeaketh Wifdom ; andhis'Tongus taiketh of Judge- ment. Why fo ? Ver. 31. The haw of his God is in his heart ; that fets his tongue; a going the right way -, and on the con- trary, fame mens WmYmgbreath bewrays their inward parts to be very rottennefs^ they have not fo much fweet breath as to -make a figh of ^ if the want oi words were all, it wrre a fmall matter ^ that inarticulate Language of fighs and groans is powerful Rhetorique : Let the fghing of the prifoners come before thee ( faith 2) avid, Pjal. 79. 11.) according to the Qreatnefs of thy power pre ferve thou thofe that are appointed to die : And for the appreffion of the Poor, and for the fighing of the needy, now will I ar'ife, ( faith the

Lord

and Expqfhtfations. j y

Lord himfelf, Pfal. 12. 5.) I wiU fet him in fafety from him that puffeth at him. We own help from the Spirit, when We are enlarged. P^iti faith, he helps us, even when we are firaimed y like- wife the Spirit alfo helpeth our infirmi- ties •, for we know not what we mould pray for as we ought •, ( no not Pmt and theApoftlcs) but the Spirit itfelfmnk- eth Intercejfion for us with groanings which cannot be uttered, Rom. 8. 26. fttfyiifit <*K*hfato< with unutterable/iW/- nings; our Enlargements may be but the ftowings of the Gifts of the Spirit $ but our inward pinchings and coarElati- ons may be the Intercejfion of the Spirit it Jeffs, the more immediate operations of the Spirit. And we forget that there is fiich a Prompter behind the hangings •, fuch an Interpreter (as his Title figni- fies,as well as Comforter-, yea therefore J0-1- T4» a Comforter, becaufe an Interpreter ; to }^freet make known the mind of God to uc,Wi4 on* and ours to him •, and as he betrc^s the^.' Vid„ feasts' of God to the Saints, fb He ripscJ>^o. up their hearts • before God ( without \9*f*U doing my wrong, either in the one or^J?j^_ other /and 'tis he who fills their b§ ,

not only with windy words, but weidi- iy Arguments.

9 Haft thou nothing to complain of

C tlrr

7a Spiritual Pleadings, ■

thy Judge > no Shi, no Devil, no Dia- bolical Temptations, no Superdiaboli- cal corruptions, no fpiritual Plunderers, no Egyptian Tafk-m afters, no cruel Bondage that make6 thy life bitter to thee ? no Enemy coming in as a flood to opprefs and do thee wrong ? no Iron yoik that galls thy ihoulders? no Vio- lence and Spoil to cry out and complain of? Sure thou haft not ft tidied thine own cafe \ thou haft not ordered thy caufe a right, it this fountain fail thee. But will this be admitted > may the poor foul fay •, all Complaints arc trouble- Tome, men cannot endure them. I An- fwer, God will. Out of the abundance of my Complaint and Grief have I fpoken hitherto, fays Hannah, i. Sam. I. 1 6. and you know how fhe fped.

Nay the word rendered Arguments,

Cvrepu- I find by the La tine Interpreters ren-

#m: us. jrec^ Jiedargutimibus , Increpationibus.

LiteySyr.J0^ m f°me cafe is Defendant, as to the

Charges drawn up againft him by his

friends ^ But here he is Plaintiffe alfo ^

could I come near the Bar, (fayes he)

I would make my moan : the whole

Court of Heaven fhould Ring out

and be made fenfible of my fufferings.

But we are well enough with our

Engliih tranflation of the word, and it

k

and Ex f ovulations . 21

vie ar-

is warranted by the beft Criticks^ the S: word fignifying all proceedings, all ar-gumenJtl gwnents, and Keaions uied in a caule5^ pro. by either party, and contains all that/m/W* can be alledged or urged by a poor crQ3,-Tari^ns ture any way in his own defence, or m llte?ro

r -I- J i J^ cau[ a fun i

for his advantage. nirCfin

4. There are fome Arguments yet Druiius. in Arcbivis, in the Rolls and Records of heaven which were never yet imbez- led 5 they ly in the Ark of the Co- venant, hid with Chrift in God, ( un- der double lock and key, ) where nei- ther Moth nor Rutt can come to corrupty mr Thief break through to fleal $ yea, they ly ( many of them ) in the very heart and bofome, and Being of God himfelf. I hope we (ball meet with fome of them anon, and that they may meet with the very cafe of thy foul, and that thy foul may meet with God in the making life of them.

But what will Arguments work upon M-fa . God ? that King Eternal is not fway- ed but by Eternal confederations •, He knows no motives but his own bowels, and the Merits and Mediation of his Son and Spirit.

1 3Tis true, and well for thee and me ^yv; that 'tis fo ^ other wife Time-accidents end Time-exacerbations, had long eVe C 2 this

' 'Spiritual Plea dings y

this hurried us into a woful Eternity .' pait all relief, by way of Argumentati- on 5 hell, not Heaven, had been filled with our complainings /

2. Hath he not given thee thofe two great friends of his for thine Advpcats > the one at his own right hand in Hea- ven moving and negotiating, and al- wayes appearing for thee y the other feated in thy breaft, ( though once a Cage for every unclean and hateful! Bird ) the Dove alights and abides up- on that dunghil, and will not be iray- ed away: and the voyce of that Turtle is heard in onr Land ^ yea the Fathers oven heart is lull of love, brim-full and running over upon thee •, and this con- tinually pleads for thee, and makes all thine arrows which fly upwards, inevi- table, not one is (hot in vain.

3. Good Arguments in Prayer do fhew the neceffity of Prayer, and great eqnhy for obtaining the * things prayed for 5 and fo do very much confirm our Faith, and fire our affedtions, and en- able, a man to break through many Difcouragements, which Satan or has own heart may caft in to hinder Pray- er : and ceratinly though their be no need of Argments to work upon God, their is to work upon us j though not to

move

and Expostulations. 22

yiove his love, yet to remove our unbe- lief v though not to prevail upon him to gave, yet to prepare our felves to receive Mercy.

The only Ufe I fliall make of the USE. Point, (hall be to prefs all to make ufe of it, to put it in Practice daily • it * will pleaie your Heavenly Father very well 5 He loves to hear his Children Reafon it out with him, and he doth of fet purpofe delay to grant their Re- queues fometimes, becaufe he loves to hear often from them, to hear their Cant, z, Yokes, and fee their Faces-, He loves x4« to hear what they can fay for themfel- ves. So he dealt with the Woman of Canaan-, He firft feemed not to hear her, then did deny her fuit, and then gav©,a- very {harp and cutting Reafon of his Denial, Becaufe fne was but a Dog, ?n? was none of the Israelites who were his Children * But when Chrift hears her wife Anfwer to his Objecti- on : Truth Lord, but the Dogs eat the Crumbs that fall from their Mafeis table, ( which was a fcrong Piece of Logick, ) • {he received an high commendation of her. Faith, and a Grant that would be fur e to pleafe her, Her will -, Q wo- man great is thy Faith, be it tmtojhee even as thou wilt, Mat. 15. 21, 22, ~&c. C 4 She

?4 Spiritual Pleadings,

She Retorts his own weapon upon him, and he yields and gives her whats dan- gerous, if not good, her own Will.

My purpoie is, ( leaving all other t£fayes of Application or Enlargement ) to (peak to fome principal CASES of greater!: concernment and molt frequent Qccurrency in our liyes : and I Jhall on- ly break the Ice in each cafe,- ( for f id- le eft invent is a elder e) to let your Wits a work, which men, which Chriftians make lead ufe of in their greateft occa- sions $ we triffle in feriou.s things, and are ferious only in Triffles, or rather to rouse up your Graces in the holy A- . Tim, poftle's phrafe, **a?«xi*$«v, To ftir up • *• the Fire which lyes; raked up <Sc buried tinder the afhes of (loth and lupine ofci- tancy, or rather indeed to Jog the Spirit of Prayer which lies dormant in many bofoms, and doth them little fervice, T would but fet that Plough a going which too many caft in the hedge as almoft ufeltfs : which yet if well ma- naged, would (ill your Garners with all manner of (tore : And to which whofoever puts his Hand without ( too often ) looking back, mail' be fit for the Jitngclw of Q QD.

€£$E

and Exp emulations, 2$

CASE I.

XJnacqnainiedyiefi with the Lord.

FIRST then, Is UnaccmaintedneftV***!*** with GOD thy Mifery, the mat- ^^ *er of thy moan and mourning? is this thy Complaint f as 'tis of the molt knowing J that fo little a Portion is he- ard of Him > that neither the Thunder of his Power, nor the Charms -of his JLOVE art1 fufficiently Underftocd by thee ^ We rather are known of him, than that we can fay, we know him, Gal. 4. 9. 8c where, or who is he hath no need to plead in this particular ? Some malce^^v this to be Job's cafe, in this very text 9 For thus they render it, Utinam nojfem Deum et invenirem eum ; O that I knew. God, then I mould find him. He that knows God, hath found him 5 and he fhall never find him who -never knows kim. His Friend that fpake laft had advifed him, Chap. 12. v. .21, Acquaint now thy f elf with him, and be at peace^ Sec. and it may be 'tis thereunto that lie anfwers : 0 that I knew him, O that I knew where I might find him, to; be better acquainted with him-, is this thy Cafe> Go order thy caufe before Him, and fill thy month with Arguments. Firfl;, Afk him ( v/ith an humble ancU^wwrir

holjp

—

26 Spiritual Plea 'din gs.

holy boldnefs ) if he be Hot willing to be known ? though he cover hnnfelf with Darknefs, ( but he .is too Big and too Bright for a Covering )' though He make darknefi his Pavilion round about him : And if fo ; then,

Secondly", Why hath he made Intel- lectual Beings capable of knowing him *, and eternaly miierable if they know

J° * I7* him .not! thy Soul isfo for certain.

' Thirdly, Why hath he fo many ways iffued forth and made out Himfelf? why hath he written fuch admirable Comments in the things which are feen,

Rom. r:\Upon the invifible things of God? His E-

7.0. tcrnal Power and God-head!

Why hath he fparkled forth fuch glo- rious Difcoveries in the facrcd Serip- tures, in the face of Jefus Chri.ft ! in the' births and breathings, the hints and whifpers of his Spirit \ in the waves and workings oHiis Providence, in the Experience of all his Saints, yea in thine own heart, mind and Soul, dark and dolefome though it be for the moft part, fo that thou canft not order thy fpeech iy Reafon of Darknefs!

Fourthly, Why hath he fo often laid his Commands upon poor miners to feek him, if he mean not to be found > Slew him his own hand for it j thus

faith

and Expoflula lions. 27

faith the Lord to the houfe of Ifrael, Seek ye me and ye fljall live, Amos 5. 4. Seek the Lord, and ye fhall live, ven 6. and yet again, verie 8. Seek him that maketh the feven flars and Orion, and turneth the .fbaddow of Death hito the morning : What meaneth ail this .earneftnefs, if he mean not to be found? .or faith he thefe tilings to Ifrael only, to Ifrael after the fleih, and faith he not "the fame to all Nations ? Nay is not this the very end why he giveth to all Life arid Breath, and all things That -they (lootdd fesk the Lord, if happi- ly they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one -of us: AEt. 17. 27. and he never faid 'to the feed of Jacob fwb» wreltle with him ) feek ye me in vain, If a. 45. 19, And thou hopeft thou art one of them, though the wealceft of all thole fpiri- tual Wreftlers.

Nay Ihew him his Warrant dive^ci to thofe who have plowed wtckednefs, and reaped Iniquity, and, eaten the fruit of lyes, Hof. io. 12, 15. Why then Ihouldfi: thou be excluded?

Fifthly, Aft him if he Aave not been found of many a foul that fought him not ? Did not he prevent them and 'jpffer himfelf, ■ and fay,i Behold me, Be- hold

28 Spiritual Pleadings,

bold me! Ifa. 6?. I. Is there a foul with him now in Heaven, whofeName is not fought out? Ifa. 62. 12. And will he now hide himlelf from one that feeks him ?

Sixthly, Afk him whence is it, that thou haft an heart -now to feek him r Is it not becaufe he hath found thee, and means to be found of thee > Jer. 29. 12, 13, 14, &c. and he knows that thy whole heart is, or would fain be en- gaged in this work.

Seventhly, Why doth he allow fo long a time to feek him in ? all the £er>. 2. time of this life as fbme think \ at leaft *# 2* till the Decree bring forth, till he fwear in his wrath, till the heart be judicial- ly hardned, which yet is not thy cafe ( through infinite Mercy ) thou art not yet free amongft the dead, nor bound among the damned.

Eightly, Tell him (if thou canft fay fo truely ) that it is in order to praclice that thou wouldftbe acquainted with him, not meerly to gratifie a natural itch after knowledge ^ not meerly that thou might 'ft talk of him 5 but walk with him, and love him, and fear him, and obey him in all things \ and even " J>i*xag9-'m natural things •, Manns eft caufa feu *& enti$i the hand contributes more to

knowledge

and ExpojLilations*

knowledge than the Brain : thofe things we learn to do5we learn by doing them j and as to Spirituals, Chrift hath pail: his word for it, John 7. 17. If any man will ' do bis Will, he Jhall know of the Do&rine^ Ninthly, Laftly, Tell him 'tis -not in a pang, in a fit, in an humour of new- fa nglednefs, that thou art thus covetous, thus ambitious of his acquaintance : but ( though late, though too, too late thou beganneft this Enquiry ) he knows thou haft been of this mind for many* a day. Thou haft ( though weakly ) fol- lowed on to know him, and now thou expedreft that good word of his fhould be made good unto thy foul, Hof! 6. 7. Then Jhall we know if we follow on U know the Lord-, his going forth is prepar- ed as the morning 5 and he Jhall come un- to us as the rain, as the later and former rain unto the earth-, prefs thefe things upon him, and his Love and Truth will let him hide no longer.

CASE II.

XJnworthinefs ever to be acquainted with God*

SEcondly, Doth the fence of thy more&«»^f- than ordinary unworthwefs opprefs mfi t0 hc. thee? Doth thehorridnefsandhainouf-^|^/ »efc of thy fins lie as a Mountain of

Lead

3° Spiritual pleadings,

Lead upon thy Soul, and ftifle all the movings and mountings of thy Spirit upward? Doth this nip all the buddings and bloomings of Faith and Hope, and force thee often to figh out in lecrct, It is impoflible for me to be faved, I (hall certainly at laft prove a Reprobate ! Is this thy cafe ? Go order thy caufe be- before him, and fill thy mouth with Arguments. jt^m Firft, In all Humility aft him if

he did not ( before the foundations jof the World were laid ) chufe voluntar- ly, abfolutdy and immutably, what Eph.T.4.comPam/ ne would have with him to 2. Tim. all Eternity : fometimes thou thinker!: t< 9- he would never chufe thee^ there now lies a fecret Bar in thy way -, ftudy the point a little, and get it removed.

He was under no neceinty to chufe any^ no not Chrift himfelf to be the head of the Church, for he might have chofen whether ever there mould have been fuch a body yea or no: God the- Father begets the Son necefiarily, not arbitrarly ^ that is, from his Nature, not from his good pleafure -, but he choofeth him to be the head and root, Col. 1. and Reprefentative of the Church, ar* *% bitrarily, not necefiarily -, this is from

his good pleafure > not from llis Nature 5

How

and Expostulations. % I

How free is he then in all his other EM lections ?

' He chofe indeed in Chrift, but not for Chrift-, as in the natural Birth, fos&e Mr, here firft the head comes forth, and^°£s then the Members % Chrift is the caufe ^?°J' of the Salvation of the hied, but notp^'/Y^ of Ele&ion to Salvation/ Chrift is the&V. meritorious caufe of the application of all good, not of Gods volition or decree* ing that good 5 Election is God him- felf electing: and there can be no caufe of God 5 God cannot be an effect : Chrift indeed was by, but had not the nam- ing of the Elecl *, this was the Fathers part, and gives him primitively andO- riginally an intereft in them as Chrift himfelf acknowledged, John 17. 6. Thine they were, and thou gaveft them unto me. Chrift himfelf did not pro- pound or folicite for this or that perfon •, much lefs any forfeen qualifications, which are the effedts, but could not be the caufes of that Love or Choice-^ and if there was none by to move him , was there any to manacle him, to pre- fcribe Laws and limits to hum? To fay unto him, You may notchufe fuch 1

or fuch a fcarlet iinner : to fet bounds and banks to thofe great deeps of elecl- ing "'Love-knd to fay unto them, Hither- It

£2 Spiritual pleadings,

to may ye go, and on further, and here mult your precious waves be ftayed >

He chole indeed not immediatly td Salvation, ( that was too great a itride at once ) but to SanEtification of the Spi- rit unto Obedience, 2. Tbejf. 2. I ?. t. Pet. i.2. Not becaufe he torfaw Tome would be holy, but that they might be fo, Eph. 1.4. The great plot was how to conform finfull, woi'ull Creatures to the Image of his Son, Rom. 8. 29. and this thy Soul likes paffing well 5 Go then and put him to it : aft him if be will own this Doclrine, and Teal if upon thy heart : ( it matters not how many men dilown it ) and tell him thou cauft not by any thing thou dif- cemei* therein conclude thy felf to be excluded, though thou yiekleft thy felf to be the chiefeft \ot finners, and that thy cafe is referred only for his cogni- fance^ for thou canft not fiilly utter it to any creature living.

Secondly, tell him in condemning he glorifies but one or two of his Attri- butes, Juftice and Soveraignity •, but in faving he will magnifie them all.

Thirdly, Mind him how often he hath already facrificed to his Juftice, by puniihing fuch offenders as thou haft" teen * Hell is full of Inftances, foil pi

thofe

and Expoftulations.

thofe Sacrifices : and yemhe fufferirgs of his Son do more &t off the Ghry of his Holinefs than them all, than all the - Everlafting Torments of th" Damned. Fourthly, Aik him if Heaven will not afford plenty of precedents tor the like mercy thou now needed and beggeft of him : Aik if Manajfes and Maiy Alag- daletoe, and many fueh like be not there with Him.

Fifthly, If He never met the like? fince the beginning or his Creation ( for fo fometimes thou thinkeft ) aik him if he mean to let flip fuch an Opportunity to fet forth the Greatnefs and Tran« fcendency of his Grace and Mercy in all its Pomp and Power, Oriency and Lufture5 and fill thy Heart and Mouth with this Argument : 'Tis like Goliahs Sword to David, There is none like it i See how David himfelf Weilds it, PfaL .25. 11. For thy names fake 0 Lord par- don mine iniquity , for it is great *, if this be a good Argument, thou doit not want one } it feems David thought fo, and fo did Mofes, Exod. 22. 31. Oh this people have finned a great fin ! but berets work now for the Greatnefi of Gods Power in pardoning, which in thofe cafes he flies to, Num. 14. 17. and how Ibefeecb thee let the Power of my Lord be great E> according

Spiritual Pleadings,

according am thou haft Spoken. l)r. Thom. God to honour his Son in reconciling *

SSTthS18 t0 i^mftjfi permits the greateft fins umverfampi enmities to be "in the hearts and Pci-je-msulives of thofe he intends to fave,f faith kei. £ag& precious fervant of his J and thou may eft well hope God will not be want- ing to the Glory of his own Grace and pt his Sons Merits ^ for the illuftrating and manifefting whereof, the pardoning -of fo great and grievous fins will ferve •abouiidantiy •, fuch an over-grown firi- „ner doth Anfam pabsre, give him a .fair occafion, and he will not loofe it. .Cranmer a little before his going to the •itake, relieves his forrowfull Spirit after his iinfull Recantation with this conn- deration : Magnum illud myfterium, &e. .Surely that great Myftery of God's In- carnation was never contrived for th.e .pardon only of lefler offences-, Tis the -Top of all thy Saviours Glory, that He . is able to Save to the utmofi them that ■come unto Qod by Him, Heb. 7. 2 J.

Nay, If upon ftrong grounds thou concluded thy felf ( all things confider- . ed J A ncn fuch : Afk him how he will •.come off from that Obligation, oi draw- ling all men ( that is, fome of all forts ) ..unto himfelf, Joh. 12. 32. ir thine Iron heart feel not the attractive power and

vertue

and' Expostulations. ?$

rertue of this Load-ftone*there will be

never" a firmer of thy fort, fize and kind

id adorn his triumph at the day of his

appearing! Thofe Sanguine finners a-

gainft the Koly Ghoft ( the only rank

and file of finners excluded, Matth, 12

32.) have no. mind to plead as thou

• haft, and thou art none of their number*

Sixthly, Tell him he mall be more

admired and loved for fuch a Miracle

of Matchlefs Mercy, than for all his,

curious Works of Creation or dreadfull

, Ads of Vengeance.

Seventhly, Tell him it muft be no fmall matter, no eafie, no ordinary thing that muft beget Eternal Trances, and tirade^ and Admirations; thegreateft wonders of this world, kit; but a little while, thofe of the next mull la ft for * ever ^ and the pardoning, and purify- ing, the Sanctifying and Saving of fuch a Sinner will Eternally yield Oyl to fuch a flame.

Eigbtly, Tell him no Soul in Heaven fhall admire or love him more than thou ( though now thou comeftin the Rear of j all his Adorers ) and thou may eft ven- ture to fay Co, if that of Chrift be true ( as certainly it is ) Lu&e 7. 47 thai bf to -cvhom much is forgivenyrotll love^mtfch1 -nthly, Laftly5 Tell him that the J> 3 wonder

Spiritual Pleadings,

wonder fhall^nct be confined to thy per- ibn, but run through Heaven and affect all men, and Angels, and that (in alt likelihood) many lliall wonder more tor his Grace to thee than to themfelvcs, who never fin'd up to the hight, nor after the fimilitude of thy tranfgn ons : efpccially Angels that never hVdt. and fuch as died in Infancy, or lived in Innocency in compnrifon of thee ; how mould they know the extent of Grace, were it not ior fuch fuperlative finners > and that is one of his great Defigns to be admired, 2 Thtf. i. io« and he knows that in thee he cannot mifs of it

The end of Philofophy is faid to be to admire nothing 5 but the end and fcope of Divinity, is to make us ad- mire God in every thing -, in this thing erpecially, the Eternal Salvation of the greateft Sinners.

CASE III.

Jealoufie as t9 Chrift.

Jcaloufie HP H * R D L Y' Haft thoU ^ feCTet

us to JL Fears that this Lord Jefus Chrift

Chrift, whom thou haft heard and talked (it

may be)fo often of, takes no notice of

thee, ha* no mind to do any tiling for

thee 3

md Expoflulations. 57

thee \ is this, {it may be when t! ouart moil retired into try felt, and moftfe* ~ rious j thy cafe and thy condition ? Go crder thy caufe before him,- and fill thy Mmth with Arguments \ Rememb.r thy diftance, and then,

Firft, Alk him what made him talce Arguments fo great a Journey > what brought him cl wn from Heaven to Earth > was it not to feek and to fave fuch loft Array- ing creatures as thou art, who all fall to the Lord oi the Soy 1 ? if thou, art not, hail net been loft every way, even ill thine own fence and apprelieniion, let him li ip over thee and leave thee out/

■Secondly, Alk him' why doth he invite ^gat,Tr* all weary burdened poor fouls to come r^ / unto him 5 why doth he command them 1$. John to caft themfelves upon him, threaten 3. ult. tfiofe that do not, with the utmoftper- . ill and punifhment, if he be not willing to bid thofe that come welcome I the great quarrel between Him and fin- ners is this, ye will not come unto me that ye might have life, John %. v. 40. . Thirdly, Tell him thou verily be- lieved: he never yet caft out any one foul that came unto him, according to that BleiTed Word of his, Job. 6. 37, All that the Father giveth me, /hall come mn me> ani htm that cometh to me7 1

'.: win

Spiritual Tie a 'dings ,

pi ft. in no wife caft out : (A Text that hath been a San&uary to many i trovbkd foul) A(k him now jf he mean to begin with thee, if thou fhalt be the firft that ever wasrefufed by him? ' Fourthly, Tell him he knows all things, he knows that thou doft not come unto him for fafhion-fake, becaufe 3tis the cuftom, and they are in no re- queft with whom Chrift is in none, at ■ leaft iir pretence and femblance.

Fifthly, He knows thou doft not follow him for loaves, for outward advantage jand accommodations, becaufe prefer- ment waits upon profeffion.

Sixthly, Tell him 'tis true indeed, 'its fieccffity inforceth thee to come unto him becaufe other wife thou art loft and ru- in'd to all Eternity -, and yet he knows what a value thy foul lias for him, that thou looked: on anintereft in him as thy great concernment ^ the one thing ncrd- lull, the more excellent way^ tharall thy treafurcs, pleafures, honours, yea, thy very Relations ( which are as fo many parts 8c pieces of thy felf)are as if they" were not, in cornparifon to him •, are to thee ( as all Nations are to him ) as a drop of the. Bucket , neither here nor there, Phil. 5. 9., If in competition or cornparifon with«£T/>#..

Seventhly, Laftly, Thou canfl: fay to

him

and Expostulations v %h

him, that though 'tis out of Neceffity, 'tis out of choice too that thou comeft to him , were it poiiible for thee to be fa- ved any other way, thou wouidft chufe' this rather-, there was a time indeed when thy heart gatided about ftrangely ; ; fo oft to change thy way ; thou wouidft f have gone to' any door for relief rather than his ^ but fince.thou haft had fome little glances and glimmerings of Him, : though but in a tranfient way, though but in a Glafs, or at a Window, orr£ori?< throw the Latice, fince thou haft rafted iz. Cant*, fome fmall drops of his fweetnefs, he'i- 9- • — knows thy heart is fo taken therewith, yea with that Glorious and moft Gra- cious contrivance of His undertaking for - thee ( the Wicked being delivered, and the Righteous coming in his ftead ) yea with the love and lovely perfon of a Sa- viour, that thefe are now become more with thee, than Salvation it felf, if that were only deliverance from wrath to come.} canft thou plead thus > Surely, a full Reward fliall be given thee of the Lord God of Tfrael,. under whofe wings thou art come to truft, though thou art but a ftranger, and thy 'Soul; in; her/- - pwn eyes not like, to one of his hand- maidens, Ruth 2* lo, 12, 13. to allude thereunto, • * -■■ ■ ■ ;

CASE

40 Spiritual Vleadingsr

CASE IV.

Jealoitfe concerning God the father.

Jealoufie T3 U f it may be thou art pretty well concern- Jj Satisfied concerning the freenefs.

theF?th-and Iorwardnefs of Chrift to help thee* cr# "He hath done and Suffered enough in all coiifcience to convince thee : and thou haft very loft and fweet thought* of him, but terrible ones concerning the Tat 'her , thou lookeft upon him as a a Angry God, an incenfed Judge, an en- raged jLnemy, with his Hand alwayes up and ready to ftrike, but that Chrift Vid.Dr. fttps in and wards the blow \ oratleaft Gvdvnn thouflirpedcfi. hi t0 be no fuch hearty'.

agements friend to thee as Chrift is: that the, to Faith, whole Treaty of Peace tendered to thee p. 7.&V. ty him through his Son is but an Am- bu foment laid to catch thee, and to conclude thee under the greater con- demnation, becaufe the Father frauds, much out of play, and thou knowefl: not what to think of him^ is this thy fad cafe now and then upon mifgivings and tremblings of thy Heart about the great bufinefs of Eternity ? Go order thy caufe before fam and fill thy mouth with Ar- guments. Jrgumentj Firft, Afk him if that fweet Son of his ( whom the World once was fo hap-

and Expoftulations. 41

py as tofee,though fo unhappy as not See Dr. to know him) if he be not juftjM * Book, another for all the World as himielf 5 chap.28'. //je brightness of his Glory and the ex- pte&$j%' frefs Image of his perfon, Heb. 1. 3. &c< -He And fure Chrift the finners friend ^ffjjj ( as fome finners cenfured him ) was Aupon t^e affable enough, kind enough, com- Suninit* paihonat enough,fhewed love enough to ftrength poor finners, in his carriage and Con- ^-NiJ5! verfation : in his abafements and con- t^e' the denfcentions, in his Life, in his Death •, model of if not, where and who is he that will it in the come and fhew more ? Why, but faith J^f* Chrift, my Father is juft fuch another Moon at as lam to an hairs breadth .- his heart full .• fo as full of love and tenderncfs as mine we that every whit i know one, know both, P3?11?^ . Joan TO. 5o. I and my Father are one: g|LQjT 0f * and John 12. 44, 45. Jefus cryed ^»4 -Divine faul, He that believsih on t&e9 believeth Majefty not on me, but on Him that fent Me ; in the and he that feeth me, feeth him that ^inGod fent me. And John 1.1. 19. Jefus faith t^z I *- unto him, Have I been fo long time- thei only, with you, and yet hafl thou not known may fafi- me Philip? He that hath feen me hath ^c^°ald feen the Father, and howfayeft thou then orModel fhew us the Father? and I came out 0/ of his in- his bofome on purpofe to * declare him, c'ompre- John 1. 18. To be his Exegefs, (that's henf1*, D5 fa*****

/

42 Spiritual pleadings,

inthe man the word J to expound him as a clear Chrift Je- Qnmment tells us what's in a dark text, and if this be confirmed to thee by the * mJ£*y*- ^ther, it he will own it, as certain* ran '■» ty he will thou art well enough j Expofuity but thou mayeft go further and aik Bez- him,.

Secondly, If he had not the firft hand

in the whole Defign of Love and Life

to poor finners, ( for there is a priority

of Order, and Origination, though noti

' of time ) And to believe this, there are

grounds 'Sufficient to induce thee: for, I

T -F'Vjtf, Was it not He who firft [am-

i^Heb. mone^ that great Council held by all

tf.17.Eph the Perfons in Elobinty when neither

i.u.Ifa Man nor Angel exifted, nor had been

25. 1. 3c worthy to have been admitted there, if

rFrov4ip x^Qy ^ ^len exnfted '-> there he fat in 2 r confutation with his Wifdom and Love,.

his Word and Spirit, de arduis Regniy de arcanis Imperii ; and cfpecially about Man's Salvation, and can that blelled womb mifcarry with any of its concep- tions ? Surety no,

. Secondly , Was it not He who firft

pitched upon the Son, and laid him as

the foundation to the whole Fabrick ^.

one able to bear up the weight of all.

1 Pet. 1, the work-, though thy Load alone be

tMoha enollSa to crack the Aicltrce of Hea*

io, "56, * ven

and Expoftul*tbns. 43

vea and Earth :. to break the back of the whole Creation, to bear down any other foundation before it into Hell; -Hal 89> yet here's help laid upon one that is 1>-lra- mighty , mighty to fave? And. if the °5< ~ Angels (houted for Joy to fee the corner ftone of the earth laid, Job .38. 7. {hall not the Saints with delight fee the cor- ner Stone of their Salvation laid by the hand of the Father ? and afkif this be ; nothing unto thee • if thou art to have ; no place in this building ? however blefs him for laying fuch a foundation. \

Thirdly, VVas it not he who then took particular cognizance of things and nerfons, which is called in Scripture God's for ehnovui Jedgr9 Hour. 8'. ?y- and 11, i, 2, &c Enough to overwhelm a. poor /inner when he comes to ^y riding of. it, that he was then xr-vkw^ : what, meeXord? Didft thou the; think of inee, and doff thou ope# thine eyes upon iiich an one > Job. 14, £

Fourthly, Wis .it not He who then The Mef- picked and chofe out of Angels and fiah and men, whom he Would have confirmed theRigk- amongft the Angels, called therefore the '^^^5 EleEi Angels, \ Tim. 5. 2 1, and though thtfefe- ihey were never out of favour,yet they vtnthi- gs are faid to be reconciled, Col. .1. 20'. which the Confirmation being that to them, which Ie^s%, fe • Reconcilx- werebe'

44 Spiritual Pleadings,

fore this Reconciliation is to us •, and they had World jt by renouncing their Handing upon

ted^tiut ^k own ^nS^e t>ottom? and running

is,as ifcr- under the wing ot Chriftj accepting

€€r txr and owning him as their Head, Cot. 2.

pounds 10. God would not keep an Angel in

them,fH* Heaven, that would not be beholding

JivinUf- *° nis Son *or lt: : And amongft men he

fentabt- chofe whom he would have recovered,

temo.Mer Rom. 9. it, 1 3. Aifc how thou may eft

onr<r».i. ^jake tny Calling and Eleftion fure 5 and

never turn this Grace mtowantonnefs ;

for to abufe this Doctrine is one of the

blackeft badges and faddeft figns of Re*

probation, ' Jude, vtrfe 4.

Fifthly, Was it not He who ratified his choice by a folemn Decree, called the Purpofe of God according toElellion, Rom. 9. 1 1. The Myftery of his will according to the good pleajure, which he bad purpofed in himfelf, Ephef. I. 9. The Eternal purpofe which he purpofed hi Chrifi Jefus our Lord, Eph. 3. it. And yet there's no unrighteoufnefs with God ( which Paul forefaw fome would charge him with,) Row. 9. 14. No cruelty^ no DilTimulation, no Tyranny $ and if the Lord hath purpofed who /hall di/fa* 9tul it? If a. 14. 24, 27.

Sixthly, Was it not He who called &r the Books, and caufed all the Re*

folves

and Ex{ofiulatiom. 45

folves to be entered, Heb. 10. %. even to the very names written in the Lamb's Book of Lfe, Kev. i> 8. and 21. 27* with the Golden Letters of Love, with indelible Characters in his blood * ( we read of no black Book of Death, and therefore I meddle not with it ) but hadft thou ever any help to read thy name written in Heaven, this is matter of more 307 than if thou could'ft can: out Devils, and work wonders, Luke. 10. 20. if not yet, all in good time, go to the Father and he will help thee to fpell thy name there by his Spirit of Adoption, who was, and is a Member" of this Council, and well acquainted with all that paffed there. Act. r?.

Seventhly, Was it not He who then l8& r7- ordered all other things in away of fub- z6' Jer* ordination and fubferviency to the rG*5 2g* Sanclification and'Salvation of theEle&v 26. and Good works then received his Seal, 38. io» Ephef. 2. to. Evil ones (by a juft A- &Cm nalogy ) a Brand, He then drew up the Ordinances of Heaven ; pafled a Decree for the Sea , and for the Rain, and for p^j the opening of the Eye-lids of the 9i/119' Morning ^ to caufe the Day-firing to kmrk [ its plage, and the Sun his going down% unlefs forbidden, as in the days of Jo- /bua. He then appointed natural Agents

to

4-6 Spiritual pleadings

to ad: neceiTarily h the Sun to fhine, the Fire to f>urn,the Sea to run in its courfe : yet he fet them not a going with fuch an irrefiftible fwing, but that he can ftop them at his pleafure.

Free Agents to adt freely, the Will of man to be alwayes free in all its, ads, if hot Quoad jbeaficahonenii to do good or evil at his pleafure, yet quoad exerciti- «w, he need never do evil,uhlefs he pleaf- eth - fo that he is left without excufe.

And all other things were ordered as Scaffolds to this building ; now who but a mad man would lay his bed on thefcaffold & fay, that's accommodation good enough 5 andfo take up with that, no matter for the Building-, beg that he ' would never leave thee to that madnels, but lead thee to things Spiritual and Eternal, by all externals, and that all things may work together for thy good, according to this ancient apointment. We give Jiightly^ Was it not by an Agree- forfforit" men* between his Son and him , that bc'caufe1 ' ^e ^01iW fit as Creditor in Heaven and tjje Fa- 'the Son come down to be refpon- ther was ITble to Juftice ? othervvife there was directly l0Ve enough in his heart, to bjave let by 7ns the Son fit Creditor in Heaven, and to marring have come down hjmfelfa* Debitor and his work clye&fbrthee rand therefore faith "Chrift, ©f Cre- « though

and Ex f ovulations. 47

I fhould not pray for you, the Father ation,& him f elf love tb yon y John 16. 27. Nay other- he loves you fo well that he doth there- ™f°*lA fore love me, becaufe I lay down my for ^ae life for yon, John 10. 17. what a ftrange Son's in- expreffion of love is this > carnati-

• Ninthly, Did not, He draw up all the °*dfufT Son's Articles and Inftructions, as Difturiz

1. That he muft begin his work .in Thf. 14. * .deepeft humiliation and abafement. p> mo,' - 2. That he muft pawn his Glory to go through-ftich with it, which he Re- deems, and Re-demands upon his per- formance, John 17. 4, 5.

3. That he muft run the Gaimtlop in that Nature he would Redeem, and be content that every one fhould have a fling at him, 'tis HiUaries allufion, naturs, noflra contumeltas tranfeurrit.

4. That his God-head muft be eclipf- ed and vaiFd, and he made like unto his Brethren in their natural neceffl- ties, finlefs infirmities, live by faith, get every thing by prayer : hot do his own will, but his that fent him, and fo fulfill all Righteoufnefs ^ and why was he thus conformed unto us, but that we

. might be made conformable unto him?

, 5. . That, he muft in the days- of his flefh orally and perfonally declare his Fathers^^ame and love" unto his

Brethren

48 Spiritual Pleadings,

Bretheren: and afterwards Depute and fcubftitute fome to do it to the end of the world ^ and fo long as his Leiger Embafiadors reiide in any place uncal- led home,not fent for away; the Tre*aty of Peace holds and continues, and their work is not only to declare Chrift, but the Father alio: and this was the fweeteft prcmife that drift could chear up his Difciples with, John 16. 2?. The tiriie erm>etb when IfhaU no more fpeak unto -you in Proverbs, but I (loall Jhevo you flainly of the Father : and that's a moil fweet and fatisiying Objec\ John 14. 8. Lord fhew us the father and it fufficeth us. Act.2.1;. 6. That He muft Dye a Bloody, * 4- z2- painfull, fhamefull, accuried death to e '9 pay the Debts of his people, and then rife again from the dead, and bring up his blood with him into the Holieft of Holies, and there exercife and execute the office of his everlafting Priefthood ; if he would have his death which was of infinite value in it felf to be of in- finite Vertue and efficacy unto others ; and is not all this performed exactly, and hath he not herein commended his love unto us with a witnefs. Rom. 5. 8, &c.

7, That Whatever w*9*giyea him, h«

and Expostulations, &f

muft prefently give oi iht -ameto his Members, to fit them .or tuat Glorious.- ... 2. Fellowfhip, wherennto ti-zy are ordain- 33< & St? ed-, what he Receives with one tiara', he muS give with the other 5 and Wi fee What David calls Receiving, Pfains. 68, 18. PW calls Giving, Epb. 4. 12. as if thefe were one and the fame thing with Chrift, and thou defireft no more of Chrift then what the Father, hath or- dered out by him.

8. After the Father ( whofe motion and project this was ) had wrought of Jfa. 42. 6* the §011 to undertake it, did not he&s°-9° then engage to ftand by him Sc to fupply f1^* IO° him with all neceilaries : a Body tofuffer joh. 5# ^ in, and a Spirit to that Body without & 6. 37/ Meafure, and to bring thofe in to him 44. 5- 1 7- In Time by Retail, whom he had gi- *f. 29. Ven to him in the Lump, before Time 5I' ^' was, he doth more than Invite ( as faith Armbnus ) he doth effectually draw by an Omnipotent fweetnes • and Chrift muft not fcruple to entertain the moil Leprous Lcathfbme (inner whom the- Father is pleated to bring unto him | Ay, and the Father muft help to Keep them alfo, ,whom he hath brought io, toh. 10', -28, 29. fa Precious Cordial in Apo^atiging times, ) and all this being d»nt acceding to an antient cornplot E ani

%o Spirt itual Pleadings,

and Aggrement \ Socinus cannot from thefc fiipplies or dependencies infer the Son's Inferiority to the Father-, and the poor bt Irving (Inner may prefs him with all tlK.'e Engagements.

9. Over and above all this, Did he not put torth his paternal Authority, a) id i -}r his Commands upon his Son, to engage in this great fervice, John, 10. l£. and i 2. 9, 20. as Pbaroah to exprefs a Pieonafmof Love, commands Jofepb to be kind to his Neareft and Deareit Relations^ which one would think, lit- le needed, Gen, 45. 19. Go look God in the face, ar»d fay as David doth, Pfal 7T. 7. Thou baft given Commandment ta fave me • And to whom > To Men or Angels? No: to me, fays Chrift: Ibis Commandment bave I received of my Fa- ther. If Chrift tail, there is not only breach of Articles, but Dtfobedience too, Thou can'ft not believe that Chrift loves thee fo well, as to lay down his Life for thee : But can il thou believe he loves the Father > that's . eafie, there's no doubt of that: Why (fays Chrift, when he was going to Die ) That the World may hnnxo bow I Love the Father as the Fa- ther bath given me Commandment, even fo do J, John 74. 3T. t t0, 10. Yet again to maka all^fure, leafl

- the

and Exfoftulations. ft

the Humane Nature of Chrift upon its afiumption, fhould ihrink at the appro- ach ot Suilerings: Doth not the Father engage to Reward him plentifully td5$£j:?» give him a Royal and an Everlafting &*' *7T Priefthood, a name above every Name, appoints unto him a Kingdom, Luke 22. 29.. and above all, aflufes him of the Sal- vation of thofe he died for, according to this Agreement, If a. 53. n. without which nothing could ever have fatisfi- ed him, So that as the AiTumption of the Humane Nature is the higheft in- ftance of Free Mercy -, fo is the Reward- ing thereof in its ftate of exaltation, the the higheft inftance of Remunerative Juftice.

All this needed not to engage Chrift: to work, fo much as to engage us to be- lieve that the Father was firft in Will- ing, as he is in Sniffling, the Son fe- cond to him therein 5 but hot in Hearti- nefs of Good Will, For therein they are both equal : They muft needs be One in Will, who are fo in Nature 8c Being ;■ but ftill the Father is Mrft in Love, J oh,

3. 16. For Qodfo loved the World, that be gave his only begotten Son, that who- foever believetb in Hint fhould not perifh, but have Everlafting Life. And 1. J oh.

4. 9, 10. In this was manifested the love

E 2 of

$2 Spiritual Pleadings,

of God tore ay ds us, becaufe- that Godfent bis only begotten Son into the World, that we might hive through Him, He rem is Love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and fent his Son to be the Propitiation for our fins.. Ai)d therefore Love is laid at his door by the Apoftle, £'. Cor. if. 14. The Grace of our Lord Jefhs Chnft, and the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Ghojl bevtifo you a 7. The Grace of Chrift makes way. for our enjoying the Love of God ; but We I r known the Grace ofthrifly

had it not been firft for the Love of God, who therefore is called Our Saviour, I. Jim. I. I,

11. And as if all" thi* were not e- nough , Bid not the Father Seal Hitf Son a Commiifion, To give life to loft finners, John 6.27. And therefore Chrift fi) often mentions the Father as fend- ing him, and furnifhing him with Mir- acles, his Letters Credential where ever he came.

12. Nay more, If Suffering for Our fakes be a fign of Love, ( as who can Deny or doubt it ) to fpeak after the jmanner of men: Had riot the Father His fhare of Sufferings as well -as .the Son ? Was it nothing for him to parU With his Son? fuch a Son, an only Son,

the

and Exfofiulations. f%

the delight of his Heart and eyes, andftom. 8. that not amongft friends, but enemies? &-!&.$ 1 Who would feek and fuck his Blood jn IO" this fence tofyare him, and jet m an- nofcher not to Jpare him, but to hruife him, and take flea fur e in fo doing > Is all this nothing ? He may feem i . efl to Mat. 1 r. have aneafie part to fit in Heaven and *>-?.$.z8. receive fatisfadtiorr: but you fee it coft l%> him feme thing too, my more y Fie denies himfelf, and difaf fears, v:d gives uf the immediate mimakenient of all affairs into the hands of bis Son: That part the Son took Was fharper but fhorter, lafted not much kbove three and thirty years, but from the time of Chirfts Re- furredtion ': 'Tis a long 'tzvim before Jthat* God come again to be. all in 'all, itor. 15, :"2.i.. and 28. and he in a manner . remains hid till the day of Judgment, now Chrift is all in all, Col. 3. 12. The Son tranfaBs all by the Spirit, till the lafi day, and the Father worketh wow only in and through the Son :. Thus you fee the Father veiling and eclipfing his Glory, to make it mine the more . hereafter, and in the mean time his love' that mines fcrtll herein glorioufly. 1 '?. Hath not the Father ( as well as 'Chrift ) an hand in fending the Holy^f'^^ Qboft, to make a xUfcoveiy and Appli-^'

cation jM

I A

54 Spiritual Pleadings,

cation of all thcfe things ? yea he is cal- led the Promife of the Father, which Chrift had often Untied to his Difciples, as the beft news he could bring then* from Heaven, AB. I. 4. which (faith he ) ye have heard of me.

14. Laitly, Was it not he that wrapt up all this in a glorious Covenant, a Co- venant of Grace, Life and Peace, of which I may fay as John of the Com- mandment of Love, 1 John 2. 7, 8. Tis both the New and Old Covenant ^

H b T? ^e ^r^ anc^ ^' qnt* everkftmg Cove- 20. 'sonant, calfd a Promife, ( left the word Co- tentxam venant ihould fcare us, and make us fape mu-. tfiink there's more required of us, by tat Dew, way 0f reftipulation, then we can reacn

ir»ir.un*) Tit- j- 2- i- y°h- 2- 25..CW

Greg. 9tant of Promife Eph. 2. j 2. and while we are altogether, grangers thereunto we are without Hope. The other Cove- nant was contrived and given forth chiefly to make way and welcome for this, and 'tis this Covenant the preci- ous things whereof are Sealed up unto lis in the Sacraments : This is that fe- cret of the Lord which is with them that fear him, Pfal 25. 13. to make them know the Covenant he is ever mindfull of it, and therefore fent Rer demption unto his People: He hath

commanded

■ c

and Expojlulations. _ 5$

commanded this Covenant for ever, Holy and Reverend is his Name, pfaL 1 1 1. - 5, 9, fife, and 'tis this will arrord Death- bed Comfort, 2 Sam. 23. $. Although my Hoiafe be not fo with God, a t he hath made with me an everlajii g Covenant, ordered in all things arid iiire, for this is all my Salvation, and al tiny deiire, although He make it not to grow.

Now then though all theie fcnirgs are Phrafed in the Language o: Men , yet not without warrant from the Holy Ghoft, who condefcends thus to log out the Mifteries of Salvation, df* we could not underftand, or take in any thing oi them •, and though they are all but One A3 in God, as all his> At- tributes are but one Divine Excellency and Glory, the Divine EiTence it felt: but this is too big to come in all at once into our narrow hearts, therefore God lets out Himfelf by degrees, by drops and beams as we may bear it -y 'tis fo in the difcovery of himfelf, and 'tis fo in the difcovery of his Council, and Operations concerning us in Chriit Jefus.

And though the Operations ad extra. are undevided, but ( according to the an- cient' agreement between them ) the Operation is attributed to that perfon :

the

$6 Spiritual Pleadings,

the manner of whofe fubhmng appears rrioft in it, beginning work to the Fa- ther, carrying, on e o the Sou, finifhin? to the Holy Ghoft. " &

Yea though many difown and difljke • thefe things, yet now go, and put them home to God : and if he will own them, and bear his witnefs to them, and feal them upon thy heart, .it will be fuffici- ent for thee, to fhame thee for all thy hard thoughts of him, and to fecure thee from the like tormenting fears for time to come, and (I know it ) he will work wonders (if thy Spirit be ftirred up to put him to it) rather then be wanting in his witnefs to fo great a Truth as this, and fo (halt thou be (%s Job fpeaks ) delivered for ever from thy Judge, from all frightfuil Ideas and apprehenfions of him, as an angry fevere Judge and enabled to walk with him all thy days, aswithamoft indul* gent and tender hearted Father.

CASE V.

Tear of Unbelief.

Fear <tf Y> UT what is all this to me ( may pnkpeff J3 a poor Soul fay, ) though I affentr unto it, and think I believe it, if my Faith prove a, falf bla^e of Fancy, Pre- emption, vain Hope? apd thou haft

cauf$

and Ex f ovulations, 57

eaufe to fear and fufpect it, becaufe it hath not the Vertue and Operation of that plant of Paradife, The Faith 0fCo\.t\z the Operation of God, the Faith of Gods^lt% T' T* EleB. Is this thy Cafe many times > Go, order thy caufe before him, md.fill thy mouth with Arguments-, Go, bow thy kmes unto the God and Father of our Lcrd Jefus : And,

Firft, Tell him, he knows how thy Arguments. heart is carried forth towards him, on- ly according to the terms and. tenour of a Covenant of Grace, and not. oiWork/,. thou can'ft. not by any means away with that, that he mould deal and do by thee as thou doft by him •, no thou canft not find the life of thine hand, as 'tis faid of fome, Ifa. 57. 10. thine hands are not fitfficient for thee, as 'tis faid of Judah, Deut. 33. 7. -And will he trample oipou a worm that would fain creep towards him, only in that Way which he himfelf hath chalked out and is fo pleafing to him ? , Secondly, he knows that the fole ground of thy confidence is .the preci- ous and plenteous Grace of the Glori-^ ous Gofpel of Jefus Chrift, which , tells s.°Mat jthee that Chrift dyed for finners,! ene-20. 28. & imies-, ungodly, impotent ones: and aik 26. 28. him, if he have cyer a Soul with hirirMar- to*

* in45*

58 Spiritual Pleadings,

in Glory that was not oncefuchan one> that many are ranfomed and pardoned by Chrilt ^ but not how many, Why may 'ft not thou be one of thole many? That Salvation is neither oihim that rvilleth, nor of him that runneth : but of God that jheweth mercy , Rom. 9. \6. even to the prifoners of unbelief, Rom. II. 32. thefeanda thoufand fuchlike' precious things the Gofpel uttereth, Afk him now if thou muftbe afhamed

_ 2 c of the Gofpel, as thou haft been of the

j"' 'Law, of thy looking for life by it? and if he will reject this confidence alfo, fo that thou muft not profoer in it.

Thirdly, Afk him it there be not a

Rom. 5 9 -double reconciliation plainly taught h\ to, 11: the Doctrine of the Gofpel? the one

\^ncJ£ factually purchafed by the death of Je- fus Chrift, and acknowledged by God at that time ^ the other at the conver- sion of a (inner, when he lays down his arms and enmities, and the knowledge of the one is the means to the other: Hath God then jlirred up all his wrath again, and will not fuller a poor foul to come near him, who would fain re* ceive the attonement? and be made friends with him >

Fourthly, Afk him wherefore hath this Gofpel been brought to thine ears,

to

and Expostulations. $f

to thine heart •, but that thou fhouldeft truft in it, and that perfe&ly, ( tj\(5h ) even to the end, i Pet. I. 13. Did he not call thee to Repentance, and will he now repent of his Calling, that can not be, for his gifts and calling are without Repentance, Rom. 11. 29,

Did he not bid thee come unto him upon thofe waters of the Sanctuary *, And rauft thou now fink and perifh, to allude to that of Peter, Math. 14. 30. Fifthly, Tell him he knows how fully, how thankfully thy foul fubmits to that FJgkteoitfnefi which is Tevealed and offered in the Gofpel: and none perifh in unbelief, but they who are ignorant thereof, or fubmir not thereun- to ^ Rom. 10.3. Once indeed thou wertPhil.;.8, proud of thine own poor polluted Rags, 9- *.Pet. but haft now caft them all away, and,1*1, • faid unto them with deteftation, get'^?^ ye hence * and wilt never gather them wocivn <& together again, but Blefieft him withes*, all thy heart and Soul, for that better provinon made in the Gofpel,and wouldft fain appear daily, continually before him, cloathed with that RighteouGaefs which Chrift came on purpofc to bring into the World, Dan. 9. 24.

Sixthly, He knows thy heart clofeth with Chrift for fanttifcatiw as well as

Righteoufneft

Spiritual Pleadings,

i- Cor i. Righteoufnefs to juftifie thy Faith, as 5°* that muft juftifie thy perfon, it cloieth

with the whole Gofpel, with whole Chrift in all liis Offices •, and that there is nothing more defireable to fliitte eye then that Hotinefs which the (,. requireth , Promifeth and Prom How fain would thy Soul b? his Glafs, wherein he might View ' all his own Glories, Vermes, Beauties, Graces, "by reflection : And will he break this glafs in pieces ? *. Pet. 2. Seventhly and laftly, Aft him if he 5?; . will but ftand to that one good word, •m**f*7K*fp0]cen -n hfg^ame tohis fervant, Rom.

5. 20. Where*, fin abounded, Grace did much more abound ♦, this is hot the ipaivn or fpume ofc thy fancy, nor haft thou met with this faying in lbme good book, whofe Author might be miftaken 5 but if God will make it good ( as thou thinkeft him bound to do, even for the Glory of his Grace, Wifdom and Truth ) thou can'ft tell where there are Jam. \.fnperfuiities of naughtinefii and He can ZI- teil where there are Super-abomidings, overflowings of Grace and Mercy; and if he will draw up the fluces, thou (halt not only -honour him by believe!-:;?, but be "encouraged to look for mure than ordinarjr Favours &orri him, everi

becaufe

and Expostulations t 6 1

becaufe fin hath fo. abounded : And i& not this the Faith that (hould come? or mult thou look for another > ; or if this be it, why then is. not. thy heart purified, heart and life fanc/tified by it $ Why is it not unto his fcrvant accord- ing to his word? Ail. 1 5?. 9. and 26. 18. Plead andprefs this hard u port him, and ( my Soul for thine ) he. will not deny thee, he will not fay thee nay : you may take not mine but the Apoftle Peter's word for it, that this is the true Grace of God wherein yc fiand% J. Pet. 5. 12.

CASE VL

Tear of Hypocrifie*

BXJ T there is a damp upon thy Spi- Fear 0£ rit, a great difcouragement which Hypoci^ takes off' thy boldnefs before him:fo thou feareft that though thon doft (as thou thinkeft ) believe and rejoyce for a feafon in the Grace believed, yet 'tis not likely to lajl alwayes, thou malt not be able to- hold the rejoycing of thy confidence firm unto the end, thou {halt prove [ but a temporary 5 a dung- hill covered with fnow, which will melt away; thou findeft fo much Hypo- crifie i in whatever thou goeft about, thou haft done much evil without the

nuxtiars'

&2 . Spiritual Pleadings ,

mixture of any nood , but never a" ny good without the mixture of much evil, and the Hypocrite is juftly hated of God and man 5 the world hates him becaufe he feems good, and God abhors him becaufe he only feems, and is not truly fuch : and this fometimes thou - feareft will be thy Portion, and can'ft not difcover the bottom of thy mifery to any flelh living, and this ere long will put an end to thy pleading •, thou feareft that both the Gift, and Grace, and fpirit of Prayer ( if ever thou hadft at ) will leave thee, according to that in Job 27. &, 9, 10. For what is the hope #f the hypocrite, though he hath gained? when Qod taketh away hts foult will Qod hear his cry when trouble cometb upon him, will he delight himfelf in the Almighty : will he alwayes call upon God} Well, Go to God in this cafe however, Go order thy caufe before him Argument: mi. fill thy mouth with Arguments.

1. Tell him He, and He alone knows

whether thou aymeft not at entirenefs

of heart before him, both as to the fub-

je&, the whole heart which thou wouldft

p., lg have kept even from thine iniquity y

z 3? Pfalm and as to the Objeft, all his Command-

119.6. &ments^ thou knoweft not one of them,

ver. 140. which thy fpirit baulks or boggles at,

but

and Expoftulations. 6$

— ■■-■■■■■■■ »• —

but the more pure his word is, the more" thy foul lovetb it*

iind alio as to the means of Grace, they are all dear and precious to thee, and thou wouldft be found in the ufe of all his appointments, bid him name that thing which he requires, and which thou knowingly and purpofely declin- eft ; And is this- the guife or way of an Hypocrite > only be fore thy heart re- proach thee not

Secondly, He knows what is the fe- cret end of thy living, and why thou art deftrous or fo much as content to continue in this World, not to ihare in the Pleafures or Profites or Honours thereof, ( the worlds Trinity which it adores and ferves, and facrificeth it felf r roht 2s unto ) hut to be receiving or doing fome ii- Thefe good in thy ftation and generation $ and three are can it be thus with an Hypocrite $ *** worlds

Thirdly, He knows that thou chuf^ eft rather to be fickly or poor, or dil- graced, and to walk" clofe with him , then in Health, Wealth, or Honour to wander from him, or to ly out at a great diftance from Communion with him, yea rather to be following hard after Him, though thou fhouldft -nevae enjoy his Glorious , Ravifhing, Tranf- porting prcfence, while thou liveft,

thara

64 Spiritual pleadings,

K •

than to fwim in aboundance of carnal enjoyments, and to have a heart care- lefs of him, eftranged from him : and is it thus with any* Hypocrite in the World ?

Fourthly, Tell him thou hadft ra- ther he mould know all thy fecret fin- >fat.6. £.rrinSs againft him, then that he mould not know all thy fecret fighings and Lamentations after him, the world hath feen and Humbled at many of thy mifcarriages, but hath not fccn nor re- covered by thy fecret mournings ^ but be feeth in fecret : and therefore tell him.

Fifthly, ' It will not be For his Ho- nour to rejeft thee, for all mufi out : all thy fecret fobbings and pantings and purfuings after him, muft be known one day : and what would Angels and men think to fee fuch a mourner in fe- cret caft oft to all eternity ?

Laftly, Appeal unto him, He knows thou* haft . been ufualty as earneft with him for Hdlinefi in time of projp'erity ■; as in time of ftraits and adverfity .- and is this the manner of Hypocrites > Sure-; ly no *, Uzziah was marueloujly helped till he was ftrong $ but when he was ftrong his heart was lifted up to his de-> ilru&ioii for he tranfgreffed againft

the

and Etff ovulations. 6$

t;e Lord his God, 2. Cbr. 4. 5. and 14. 15. it was not fo with Jehofaphaty he ioug fit the Lord God of his Fathers, £iid walked in his Commandments, and <not after the doings of ( backfiiding ) Ifrael, Therefore the Lord ftahlifled the z Chron- Ki gdom in his Hand, and all Judah1^ 4' Si brought him Prefents, and he had rich- es and honour in aboundance-, And bis Heart was lifted up in the wayes of the LORD. Piety procures a fettlemenr,- and that brings oit the People to an ac- knowledgment of their Magiftrate $ & to a love unto Him, and that ufhers- in- plenty and aboundance, and an Hon eft Heart in the midft of it all, is carried Higher and and Nearer to Gcd, as the waters bare up the Ark, and lifted it nearer Heaven.

If it be thus with thee, in thy mea- fure,iiire, there may be and will be feme Leaven of Hypocrifie, which may fbme- what four thy performances, which yet upon thy Humiliation fha'llbe pardon- ed : And thy Judge himfelf and his De- puty in thine own bofom will pronounce that thou art no Hypocrite.

CASE

66 Spiritual Pleadings,

CASE VII.

Fear of being acted only by Fear.

Fern- of T)ER ADVENTURE thou may- being ac- j~ eg. reply, though I may prove no ffWe, yet I ihall prove little Rom. 8. better than a Slave. I Fear I am Awed 15. and A&ed only by A Sprit of Fear, 8c

2. Tim. this is far from a Gofpel-Spirit, from a. Spirit of Adoption •, they are fet as ad- verfaries and Antipodes one againii: a- nother : and if there were not a dread of God upon my Spirit, if Deftruction from God were not a Terrour unto me, I know not what would become of me, nor whether Satan and my corruptions would Hurry me. Well, yet go and or-* der thy cauie before him, and fill thy Mouth with Arguments, trtmiis Firft,, Ask him if He have not ob- ferved ordinarly thy Spirit to be more melted 8c Humbled when he hath filled thy heart with joy, and thy Mouth with Praifes, than by any evill Felt or Fear- ed, than by the fenfe or approach of a- ny evil whatfoever, & is thithes Frame of a Slave, or of a Child?

Secondly, .Tell him 'tis true, thou feareft him ( and fo do all the Saints & Angels in Heaven J but'tis with fuch a Fear as Enlarge tb thy Heart towardJ

Feaij

and ExpOjiulations. 6"j

limi, and dotli not itruiten it-, fuch a^^J- Fear as is an help-.r of thy Joy, not anPlai*^*f enemy to it:, inch a tear as furthers ^;'gt%c *' the Comforts rf the Holy Ghofi^ iuch a i Join 4; fear as hath no wment in it : and there- 18. Fore love though perfected mall never cafi: it out ^ and thou didft never fee a good day, till this took hold of thee;, doft never enjoy a good hour when this doth not overrule thee. "lis a better thing to thee that ever thou wert with- out it, Jer. i. 19.

Thirdly, Tell Him it is Him and ht^°^l'U goodnefS that thou feareft, his frown, his ^c^?* abfence,hisy*/tw<?, are now more dreaded fZn jby thee than all his Darts and Thun- ders ufed to be formerly •, The lofs of a Grille, of a Kt£7 a kindnefs, is that thou moft Feareft, and this thou take ft to be a Spirit of Ingenuity, not of Slavery.

Fourthly, - he knows thy voice, and - can tell whether he hear any of His bwn Language from thee or no, how bad- ly and brokenly foever it be pronounc- ed ^ though thou charterer like a Qave>, or a Swallow, or mourheji ijfc? a Dove, as l^usKiaU ;fj$eai>s of h'imfelf If a. ?t ik.

Every creature conveys its fou d, its ton e a r d tu n e 1 0 1 v: v ou 11 £ on e s 2 \ '■ d none of his children are "ftill born v the ' Spirit unties their tongues, and (Vts F 2 " tlkstf

68 Spiritual Pleadings,

them a crying Abba Father $ and he knows thou ooft cry fometimes : not coldly tender him lome dead prayers, but cry, and not as a thief' at a Bar to a Judge whbtn he neither loves nor hath any confidence in, but as a poor child Gen. 2,7. w{len - gf^refs who daily aiks his Fa- * ' ' thers Blejn g.

Fifthly, J Defire him that he would /?<?/ thee as Ifaac did Jacob ^ The de- iire of thy foul is not only to have a fmooth Voice, but Hands -alio To far from rough nefs \ that he may for ever own thee as one of the feed "jof Jacob, thy heart is againft a Covenant, of ■Works, but for all the works of the Co- . venant.

CASE vm.

Senfe of fearful Back-fit dings.

Senfe of ' X^V H, but The Treacherous Dealers

bickflia- \^Jf have t\ea\t Treacheroufly , yea the

Treacherous Dealers have dealt very Tre-

acheroufly^ thy Revoltings have been

multiplied, and thy Back- ft dings are

many, and how fhall H£ Pardon

thee for this ? It puts God himfelf to a

Pawfe, to a Stand, to Demur upon it

Jer. 5.7. and Chap. 3. 19. How fhall I put

thee among the Children? Nay, Chap. 2.

and Expostulations. 6$

29. Hefecmeth to put a ftop to all farth- er pleading :, Wherefcre will ye plead -with - me, ye all have tranfgrefied agahitt ??ie^ faith the Lord: Nay, which is the wcrft of all, the Holy Spirit of Gou beiug hereby grieved-^ where haft tiiou now another friend to fpealc a good word for thee ? when the Father is offended, there's the Son to mediate for thee: and when Chrift is difbbliged, yet there is the Spirit to intercede for thee, but when the Spirit is vexed and quenched, there's never a fourth Perfon in the . Trinity to make up the breach to com- primife the difference-, who mall now •put words into thy mouth, or fill thy mouth with Arguments ? yet even in this Cafe try him, if he will not help thee at this dead lift,and prove an Ad- vocate for thee^ for he himfelf hath pen'd a form of prayer for one in thy cafe, Hof. 1 a. 1, 2, 5. Go then ev-m to this holy Spirit, and fill thy mouth <with Arguments.

Firft, Tell him thou haft read or jmim?lts heard of his Goodnefi, Pfal. 14?. 10/ . and of his Love, Rom. i<>. 50. Not on- ly that which he begets in the Saints, but that which he bears to them, all . the World hath had experience of it, the Church efpecially •, and thou art F & not

/u

Sfirrlual pleadings.

not altogether a ftranger to it, 8c halt now occafion further to try it $ and hopeft to find it, no whit inlenour either to that of the Father in giving his Son, or that of the Son in giving himielr ror* thee -, ttiough he hath not been equally loved and honoured with them, but womlly neglected and forgotten.

Secondly, Ak him if it be poifible for thee to be in a worfe plight than warn he firft had to do with thee ? and did he then fall to work upon thee when he might have abrrrd to ioui bis fingers with thee, and will he now for fake the work of bis own hands} Pjal. •138. 8.

Thirdly, Thou hopeft he will dwell in thy duit . when death hath done its worft unto thee, and raife that again, according to Rom. 8. it. and will he now foriake thy foul and not raife that again, now that fin and the Devil have . done their worft againft it 5 for worfe than what hath been, thou thinkeft, can- not befall thee.

Fourthly , Have not the moft emi- nent Saints that ever he dwelt in, had . their baclcilidings, and finned even a- I gainft that grace wherein lay their ex- cellency, were they all reftored by him, and lhalt thou only.be abandoned I

Fifthly,'

and E xpoftulations. 7 1

Fifthly, were not all thofe gracious Tenders to Backfliders , trained., Hi- ed, and re-corded by him ? Jsr. 3. 22. Return ye back/finding Children and I will « heal your la kill sings : Behold we come unto the for thou art the Lord our G>dy Hofea 14. 4. I wilt, heal their backfcd- ings^ I will love them freely 1, for mine anger is turned away from them ^ and in many oth?r places • and beg he would teach .thee experimentally to know what is meant by God's healing backflidings.

Sixthly, He knows that nothing in the world ever fo wounded thee or went fo near thy heart, as thy tempt-,- ing and grievirgofhim hath done ^ and' thou art r-folved never to forgive thy fe]i\ though he do, no (as fometimes thou thinkeif ) not in Heaven.

Seventhly, He knows that thou art to this day wailing, and wondering, and waiting, to know wherefore thou wert fo left unto thy felt, and that thou art far from wipeing thy mouth _ and flighting of it} thou canft not but think that God hath fotne defign upon thee therein as he had upon He%ehak.^ 2. Chron. 52. 3T. God left him to uy Hw± thai he might know all that was in his heart: and little didft thou think when F 4 God

Spiritual Pleadings,

20

God &ft turned thy heart unto himfclf, these nad been that in it which in;ce hat i broken iortli irom it, nor was e- ver any fo deceived in thee as thou Prov. 2S.n;r-- beeii in thy felf, but art received jiow againft that folly of trufting in thine own heart any more.

Lightly, Aik him upon what terms he firit entered upon thy heart 5 Was it not with a Commiiiion there to ftay, how ill foever treated or entertaiued ? So frys .Chrift, it was agreed on, Job. J 4. 1*6. And I will Pray the Father^ and he Jhall pj'jc yon another Comforter that be may abide with yon for ever.

Thou v/ouldft not for a World have him only upon the fame account. The iirft Adam had him in his ftate of in- nocency, concurring meeriy as a third per fon in the Trinity* but by vertue of a relation to the fecond-, and ttttn he muft never le&vs thee, he muit not only alight but abide alio, as upon the head, fo upon the Members, John j. i% 9$

Ninthly, Say to him, hereby . fhalt thou know that he is God indeed, e- qual to the Father and the Son, and. that though all the world mould con- fpire againft him to itn-God him^ yet ihall his invincible patience, and infu-

perable

and Extoftulatiom. 73

perable God-will, raife an everlafting Filler of witnefi in thy bofome, let who will carl him off, he lhall be thy God for ever 5 Who is a God like unto theey pardoning iniquities, Mich. 7. 18. is e- qnally true of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

CASE IX.

Senfe of ftrong Corruption.

17 T frill thy heart akes and isSen{-eGf dfquiefed, to think that what's Corrup- faid 01 a man of great wrath, Prov. 19. tioa. j c,.' is alio molt true o- thee, fuch an one mutt needs fuffer puniminent •, fcr if thcu deliver him, yet thou muft do it again , he 1 ever and anon bring i himieir into the briers *, and this is thy cafe, though the fweet Spirit of God be willing to forgive, thee former Of ences, and to ietchtheeof from thy Imbroyl- inerts, yet is he likely to ^ave an hea- vy hand with thee, confidering thy cor- ruptions and temptations; thou art like- ly to run upon a new fcore, to run in- to new rebellions, and there will be no end of all his labour $ yet in this cafe go and ordrr thy caufe before God the Father and our Lord Jems Chrift, and fill thy mouth with Arguments,

1, Afk

74 Spiritual Pleadings,

Matth.4 i. Ask Him, Was not this one great ^•^iIiid end why our nature was taken into per- Ioup wional union with tne divine, thai the u h3i dileafes ol the onejuiglit be healed by Jai ai d the infinite vertue anu purity and fti- Jangifigi-^Gy ot the other > did Chrnvcome inly dif^rc t0 cure r^e fic^ne^efs oi" tDe botly < or tothefe w re not a'l tn£fc cures tae types and eighteen, reprefentations of thofe he came to work it may be upon the fouls of finners? fure Rich as SSv tpu* Him. by Faith, lhall have their years or Moody LTucs flopped, and all other in- Ibnger. ward diftempers cured: in the days of Rom. 6. his flefh. he went about doing good, and * healing all that were oppreffed of the de-

vil, Acts ic. 38. and lamentable were our lofs by his removal to Heaven, if From thence his vertue could not reach us 5 and if he were now on earth, thou art verily perfwaded thou might'fthave help from him 5 why not from Heaven >

2. Did He not die that {in might die and be deftroyed > he was not only cloathfd with our nature,tmt flrip'd-by the feperation of foul and body ( though not of the Godhead from either) that fin and our fouls might be icparated : why doth fin live, feeing .Chrift: died >

3. Demand even of Juftiee, if Chrift hath not fully paid thy ranfome? why then art thou kept in bonds ? holdenwith

the

and Ex populations.

n

the cords of thy fins? the worft ufage- which the worit oi : men in this world are threatned with ♦, Prov. 5. 2 2. his own i- niquities ftiall take the wicked himf*lf, ana he ihall be fhLk% with the cords of his fins •. the vileft thingepn to this with- out this, is apleafant palace, a dilight- ful garden, as sjrasifeid I v fomi pi the bleiled Martyrs 01 their pri&fas.

4, Complain that thele corruptions do wrong, defile and outrage that nature which. C rift now w:,rs hi Heaven, and hath exalted far above the bngteit Che- rub $ for He and his are all of a piece , B?b. 2. 1 1. and this is a thou land flumes and pities.^

5. If there be any. feed of God,any be- ginnirg of that everlafting w---rko: fanc- tihYation in thee, thou rt now become a?neml'v f his body, of his flejh and of hi hwas,E\>h >. v:-. I for Ciir ift never

.took any but fanctined defh upon him ) and how th-i can he hide himfelf from his own flefh > he would not have us do fo, I fa. 58. 7. h w can he in dure to fee his own rlelTi fo ihain^uly abufed ?

He who made a Law a man ihould not hide himfelf vv hen he faiv his ene- mies bean: fink down under his burden, the Afs of one who feted hiff^xo&3$. 5. Dom he take care for Oxen and for

Affes

-j 6 Spiritual Pleadings ,

Aflcs ? and can he himfelf forbear to help | up the ^oul of o\ c that loves him ? and will he not help with him > or it thou i arta.raidto(ay thou loveft him,becaufc thy heart is fo littfe with him, yet to be fure there's a poor foul down, and will ' he not help it up ? will he not help it > I and that againft thofe oppreflours which areas well the enemies of his praife and glory as of thy peace and fafety.

And furely thefe Cananites are left in the Land, as it was in the figure. To keep down pride, Bent. 7. iz. To try whether we will follow the Lord or our lufts, Judg. 2. 23.

To teach us war, and to exercife our graces, Judg. 3. i.

To make us to keep more above,upon the mountains, Judg. 1 34.

To become tributaries and do our drudgery, 1. Kings 10. 21. God makes our corruptions do us fome fervice, which our graces cannot do without them.

CASE X.

Tear of Affliction.

BU T perad venture thou maift think with thy felf, that through grace, (whereunto nothing is impomble,) thou snaiftbe both pardoned and purified too

in

and Exfoftulations. 77

in time, but it will coft thee dear : firfr, a world of AffliBions muft be expected where there hath been inch a World of Provocations, and yet remains fuch a mafs or corruption-, and thefe fears of what may come, take thee off from en- I .joying what is prefent : Go with this complaint to thy Judge, that thefe fears may be difarmed, and bound over, no more to moleft thee \ go fill thy mouth 2 Sm ltf with Arguments : For who can fay his r*5? j'^"' mountain is fo ftrong he fliall never be move.l? Or who can Fore-tell or fore-fee Pfil. 99. the things that may befall him $ even& pardoning mercy it felf is no fence a- gainft this flail of Affliction.

1. Tell Him whatever comes, 'tis t^y ^ . deli re to bear his Indignation, becaufe^^^J-r thou baft finned 'againft him, Mich ifoicotdik 9. and that thy ftubborn uncircumcifedHeb.12.6, lieart may accept of the Punifhment ?• of thine iniquity, becaufe, even becaufe ^^^ tho haft defpifed his judgements, and tj be re- carried it as if thy Soul had abhorred warded his ftatutes, Lev. 26. 43; Nay, J^nhZ

2. Tell him that thou hadft rather be td^ot' under the fchooling of his children, than tobepu- ' the cockering of his caftawayes, under nifhed the fevere mercy of his difcipline ( as w^en he Aitguflinefytzks of that of the Church ) ^am than under the impunity of thofe defc^.:

perate

tut. in

Spirt itual Plead? n

perate loft creatures whom God hath thrown up as a loft cafe, and will Dot be at the coft tobeftow another rod n- pon them, even his correcting red as well as his Supporting fiafrihall be a com sort ^ to thce/Pfal. 23. 4. no puuithment like impunity.

3. Though it be ujfinitly more elig- ible that way to be humbled and. re- formed than not at all, yet tell him, if he will be pleafed to fpare thee, '"twill be more tor his honour to do it in the midftoi profp rity, becaufe this is more difficult -and more unufual: jfer. ^2. 2T. I /pake tiritp thee in thy profperity, but ihoufaijfl I will not he',zr,this hath been thy manner from thy youth , that thou 0- beyedjl not my voice. Now what a glory will it be to him, to bore thine ear in the mid ft of thy prolpenty.

4. As this will be more glorious for Him, fo more iifefidl, to others,, the ex- amples of filch a ro; iy xt is much more confpicuous and illuitnous , in miferable ones 'tis hard to diitn guiih between a devastation and a reformation, between their trouble for fin, and for fullering, in perfons not hnmbled and yet hum- ble, outwardly happy and yet weaned from the breafts of finful ple-ifcres, 'tis very vifible that 'tis not abjence but ah-

Jtinence

and Expostulations. 79

fiinence •, that they do not make a ver- tue of neceiiity, that 'tis voluntary not extorted 5 and be'fides- men are far more forward to imitate the happy than the Wretched and miferable, to write after & rair cpoy than one all blotted and felur'd,foyld and fullied by the tears and fweat of affliction, the examples only of fucfi as areforae way happy or emi-" nent carry compulfion in them, Gal. 2,

H- .. . ..

?. Tell Him however fo he will go

with thee through fire and water, accor- ding to his gracious promife, If a. 43. 2. thou art not afraid to venture,thou wilt interpret it to be his affeBion as well as his faithful Ihefs, his magnifying ofthee9 his fetting his heart upon thee, Job. 7, 17, J 8. his utmoft kindne/3 unto thee, feeing he himfelf ftiles it fo. Jer. 9.7.^,, , Behold I will melt them and try them S^^k for what elfe fhall I do, what more can"1% ' I do for the daughter of my people} Some Mounte- affirm, if a knife or needle be touched banks with a Loadftone of an iron colour, itm^e- !

M1 . 1 % 01 this ex-

will cut or enter into a mans bodyperiment without any fenfe of pain at all : 'tis true of afflictions well touched with the Loadftone of divine Love. BleJJed is the man whom thou chafienefl 0 Lord, and teacheft him out of thy Law, that thou

mayeft

8o Spiritual Pleadings,

mayeli give him reft from the days of ad' vcrfity Pial. 94. 12, 1 £ This then is a bleifed condition, when con\ acn and in- Job. 5.17 fl;ril,£^on are linked together and thou %z*% 5# canft 0°t be happy without it, nor haft thou been over- eager after deliverance , when in affliction thou haft enjoyed his precious prefence.

. CASE XL

Se?ife of extremity of Pain.

^am! °f T\UT 'tis. hard io kee? ln this m'md * X-l when it comes to the try a II, espe-

cially when God puts forth his hand and touch eth to the quick, when he toucheth the bone 8c the heih,then( faith »ie devil of Job ) he will never endure that, he will curje thee to thy face, fob

% 2>*

in extremitie of pain when thy Spi- rit is ready to fail before him, and the Soul which he hath made $ art

T b a 6 ai)t t0 ^ *n ^ne neart> where is all Jc ' 4* "that Sweetnefs and Tendemefs thou mad'ftthy boaftof? Where is now thy Fear, thy Confidence, the uprightneis of thy ways and thy Hope > and this may be thy Cafe, how ftrong and hew healthful foever thou haft been hitherto..

Yet even then labour to order caufe before him, and fill thy mouth

with

and Expcftulations, 81

with arguments, and if our hearts' re- proach us not , if they condemn us not x for fecret Atheifts ana notorious diiiem- blers, v/e may. have boldnefs and free- dom of fpeech in all thefe cafes,^ i Joh& 3. 21. and in this cafe it is a ihamefui) j thing for a proieiTed Chriltiaii,' to know I no other way of complaint or cure then ,'a beaft doth, Hof. 7. 14. Abeaitwhen Eft pain will cry, and may be cured by :*time and remedies ^ a Christian indeed

-hath a Spiritual way 01 complaining , T r ^ i-7 r\ -, J r s-i '^1 °- In cafe 01

Which aitords more eaie tnan the na- in>

iural : therefore in cafe of pain,

i. Juftifie hiiri ,& tell him thou knoweft

Wat heexa&eth oftheelefs then thine Job ri-£

iniquity deferveth } tell him thoie parts

j that feel the pain, have deferved Infinity

ly more than they feel ^ call to minde

thofe very Times and Places wherein

they have provoked the eyes of hfs

slory^ the wicked devices of thy head,*

the wretched defires of thy heart, the'

pollutions of thy hands, the fvyiftnefs

of thy feet to do evil ( only take heed

of repeating thofe fins by any curled

titilatibn or delight in the remember-

ince of them, ) cohfefs the whole body

lath deferved to be laid upon the rack

h hell, and never let down to all E-

:eyi:ity, Yet

G -2, Make

b2 Spiritual pleadings ,

2. Make bold to mind him how ut- terly unufefuU thou now art unto him, unlefs he will fill and furnifh thee with ftrength and patience to glorifie him in fuffering, now that he is not pleafed to impby thee in doing -y and if fo, though thou ly in Hell, there ihall be never 3 devil iii it to torment thee.

3. Afk him if he can take any Vlea* fure in thy pain > if that be agreeable to the incomparable fweetnefs of his only good nature > if that can be fuit- able to the bowels and Companions of thofe Relations wherewith he hath con- defcended to aray himfelf ? did ever the harfheft Parent beat a Child ( how bad fcever ) all the day long, and all the night, or fo long together without intermiffion ? thus Hexekiah reafonerb, from day even to night, wilt thou

. make an end of irfe ? I reckoned till Morning ( I thought then he would Pftl.30. «?.give over,) I thought though forrow may endure for a night, yet joy cometh in the morning,1 but as a Lyon, fo will he break all my bones, from day even to Night wilt thou make an end ol me, Ifa. 38. 12, 1 $

Can this feverity be confident witl the fweeteft relations > And what arc the bowels of all the Relations in th<

J " Worl(

and Expostulations* 8 1

World to Gbdfc, but flints 8c Adamants? Aik him then with this complaint of Job, Is it good to thee that thou (houU- eft opprtfi, that thou Jhouldeft de/fife the work of thins hands} Thine hands have made me and fafhioned me together round about , yet thou doji deSrcy me : Remem- ber I befeech thee, that thou hafl made me as the clayy and wilt thou bring: me tnto duft again > ( vrilt thou pound me into powder before my time? ) Job u 1 3, 8, 9, &c. Or if that could be his ^leafure and his paftime ( which fure it is not, ) yet aik him if thou art a fit match or mark for him ? Am I a fea or a Whale, that thou fettefl a watch over me} Job 7.12. There's a pride and a power worthy of his curbing and copmg with, fome Leviathan or Be- Job. 40, hemoth, may be a fit fubjecl for him*l8> &-■ *hat made him, to make his fword ap- proach unto, his bones are as firong .pieces of braffe, his bones are like Bars ot Iron- but mine are not fo, Is my, <i fength the firength of flones, or is ni1 neflj of brafi} alas no, he knows the to™™7> h*th he »ot poured me cut isMtlk and cruddled me like Qbetfa vhich will foon crumble under bis fin- ders wherefore then hideft thou thy face* nd holdeft me for thine Enemy, wilt

Q 2, * tft©&

__ _: /' . -■ : -£'

84 Spiritual pleadings,

Job tj, thou break a- poor fegjfi; driven to. and *4' fro,andwilt thou purfue the dry fhtble?

Joh 10 /tfr thcwrvrittett bitter things again ft me, 10. and makeft me to poffefi the Iniquities of

my youth ; ceafe fro?;/ me, and let me alcne, that I may take Comfort a little.

And will he not be intreated? mind him that he hi mfelf hath told thee, that he doth, not afflict willingly, nor grieve the Children of men, to crufh under his feet all the pr if oners of the Earth,JLam. 5. 33, 34. not the Children of men, much leffe then the Children of God,his own Children 5 and thou hopeft thou dofr look like one of them, yea,that thou art one of them,

Not' the prifoners of the Earth, and

will he cfufh either with his foot or

OaL4.26.I1is hand the free born Citizens of Hea-

Joh S. s^ven, thofe whom the Son hath made

7-fir, /n'free5and fo are free indeed j and if thou

i2.JLa.49 ,n \ r

$>.&6i.i.art a pnfoner, thou art a prtfoner of hope, thou haft fometimes thought, that he hath loofed thy bands, and faid unto thy Soul go forth 5 and thou canft not yet call away thy confidence.

m< **• ' a, Afk Him, Why did he take pleafure in the pains of his deai

Jer. 9.24. Son, in crufhing and bruifmg of hirr.

Mich. 7. as in a Wine Prefs, fure that work ir

l8* it felt was no fuch pleafipg woxk untc

Hiii

and Exp oft id at tons. S?

Him, but only as it made .way* and gave vent to that which is his pleafure, the exercife of Love and Mercy ^ that was but- a medium to this end, and in it felf a bitter one to God Himfelf, fave only as this fweetned it.

Now why did he put him to grief "if fie received no fatisiaction thereby? were not his head, and hearty and hands, and feet, and fides tormented, that thine might be Fpared ? furely the fins of all believers were purrifloed and payed for to the full, in and by their Surety, and are only correBed in them- felves •, though therefore thou haft caufe to bewail and to be amazed at the "Jiaughtinefs of that heart which calls for fuch rods ♦, yet it cannot but be a chearing to thee that God is not reck- oning with thee, as if he meant to fetch his penny-worths, his compenfations to [his JufHceoutofthy fmartings.

Laftly Afk'Him if he himielf fmart \ not in thy fufferings > If Chrift Him- felf do not fuffer and bleed afreah > ■ If his Companion do not almoft renew and repeat His Faillon, has loft his old went elfe •, In all the -afflictions of His People He was wont to be afflicted,

If even before His Incarnation, when He had not thofe Bowels of a Maatha£ G 3 now

g£ Spiritual Pleadings,

now He bath, ) Ifa. 63. 9. Andthougt 110 pain can have any place in Heaven yet love in its perledtion feels fome thing by way of Sympathy, not onl) Analogous and proportionable, but in finitly more high and generous thai Ve can think oh

Though therefore there be a far great ■ j tx bight of love exprefled in his afflict \ ang,than in his cockering and carking, yet beg he would either moderate o: withdraw His hand, confidering where! of thou art made, and rernemberinj thou art but duft, and thpu fnalt eith'e Heb. \i. have eafeand deliverance, or that whicl to, 11, iris far better, an ample participation ij 2 Cor. 4.^ holineft, and a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory.

CASE XII.

Defer tion felt, or feared.

Deferti T£UT maX fome P00Xfou-l &Y> '.tweV(

en tell ,1] J3 well * I might efcape with th<

reared.' fmartings and fuft erings of the outwan

man, with the pain of the body whicl

is but the body of pain ♦, the forrow 0

the foul is the foul of forrow, and ei

Cant. 3.4*her I feel or fear defer -tion *, having

found Him whom my foul loveth, 1

would fain have held nim and nothav*

let him go, I would not let him gc

? with

and Expoftnlatwnt. 87

without a blelfing, nay, I would have the Melllng and keep him too, his pre- tence being the beft of bleflings, but woe unto me when he departs from me. Now though this be the moftdark- fome and dolefome condition that can befall thee, yet 'tis neither defperate nor unufual* Go therefore even in this cafe and order thy oaufe before him and fill thy mouth with Arguments.

1. Tell Him, 'tis put fit indeed chat he mould aflert his own Soveraign- atj% by coming or going when he plea£ £th j but why mould he take a plea- sure to be a hiding God, where he is a Saviour, to be a ftranger in his own Land, in ImmanueVs land, and to be at ^a his own houfe, as a wayfaring man that turneth afide to tarry for a night, feeing he alone is the hope thereof, and the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble > yet thou Q Lord art in the t>iidft of ns, and rve are called by thy N0me, leave us «0/,Thus Jersmiab^leafe Chap. 14. 8, 9.

2. Make bold to mind his BlelTed Majefty of thofe many engagements made by Himfelf and Son, never re leave thee nor forfake thee: Shew hiri* tUefe promifes, Jihn 14. 21, He th&t lovetb me (hall be loved of my FaWtr,

.£4 ani

Spiritual Pleadings,

— *

and I will lore him and will manifest jny ielr unto him: and ver: 2*. my; Father will love him, and we will c tin to him, 3iid make vur'aioJc withhinL and whether' thou loyeji Him or no, notwithstanding thy , many pradlical denyiugs of him, thou caniV with Pettr appeal to Ornnifciencyr it felf, let him judge ^ ■ Lord thou hiowe.li all things ? thou Icnovoffi ijoat I love thee, John 21* 17. Nay, hath He not. faid, that He will not caft off his People, No not toy all that they have done againli Him, Jer. 31. 37. and if not for what they have done, what is. there elfe that they need fear, 1. Sam. 12. 20, &c. Fear not, ye have done all this wickednefs, yet turn not afide irom following the Lord 5 for the Lord will nit forfake his People , feeing it hath pleafed the Lord ■to majce you His People ^ He can nei- ther be inconftant in His Love, nor fo miftaken in His Choife. as to repent thereof.

3. Tell the Son of Righteoufnefs, 'tis true, thou canft neither- bear His Shin- ings, nor Eclipfes, but much lefs thefe, than thpfe •, thou hadft much rather chufe to be brunt up by his flames and imbracings, than to be frozen u^v and fiarv'd in the fiiadow of his abfence &

witli-

and Expostulations. £?

withdra wings ; thou hadft rather gaxe out . thine own eyes, than, weep them ©utj wouldit ratlier chufe to dy with Mofes at the moil thj oi the Lord, have ^ eg*'J£ fhy Soul fuckt out by a kifs f as fomey^ die4 fay his was ) than to pine away from at the cay to day, through the hidings of his mouth of face and withholdings of his favour... 4z^°J7* - 4. Tell Him, if thou hadft never B.mmi. Jcnown Him, . thou couldft have been Mont, without Him, at leaft without any pre- sent ienfe of forrowfor his aKfence 5 but iw having tafted that heis gracious,in his favour is thy life, and his loving kindnefs is better than life,, and thou jvLo'^°, canft not make. a ihift to be one day without him.

5. Tell Him, If the lofs were total and final, 'twere perfeci 'Hell, -land the worfl: of Hell, the punifhment of lofs being concluded to be far greater than that of fenfe-, and if it be but partial and for a time, for a moment ( as he calls it, Ifa. 54. 7, 8. afmall moment, though thou thinkeft it an Age ) yet who can be content to be in Hellanan Hell above ground, though but for a moment. » 1 ■ , —

f 6. Tell Him, He had as good return tat firft as at laft, for as till then thou srtfure to have no refttny feJ£fo he is

likelv*

«© Spirtitual Pleadfttgs,

likely to have but little ^ Heaven is like to Ring out, and thou haft a war- rant under his own hand, to bear thee out in fuch a reftlefs importunity -, not only the Watchmen fet upon the Walls oijewfalem, are never to hold their peace day nor night, but all ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not fi- lence, and give him no refiy till he eitab- lifh,and till he make Jerufalem a prarf* in the earth, Ifa. 62. 6, 7.

7. Ask him, Why was Chtift forfalcen by him, but that Chriftians might ne- ver be fo: Chrift himfelf erpoftulated iftat. 27-tne cak> ar*d put the queftion upon the 46. Crofs, My Qod my God, why hatt thou

forfakenme? and^thou hopeft thofe li- ving words of His dying Son have made fo deep an impreflion that they will never out of his mind, (hall never b« forgotten.

CASE XIII.

Exercifed in Friends ; Relations, Nama , or Eftate,

T.xercifed"\7rET mayfome complain and fay> m fhends X God is pleafed indeed to fpare Keiati- me both as to faul and body, but yet *ns> his hand is out againft me, and lyes lore,

IfUte'0^011 me *n m? relati°ns> friends,namej eftate, which arc no mean ingredient^

cither

and Exfoftulations. $l

either as to the fweetning or irnbitterig, of my cnp : yet in this cafe go to Him, order thycaifeb fre him, and fillthy mouth with Arguments.

i. Doth he threaten the removal of fome near and dear relations } tellHim they are pieces of thy felf -, and is he now about to rend thecaule of thine heart* and hath not fitted thee for refignation ?

2. He knows that the lafi corruption mortified, in his, Children, is inordinate nefs of aifeclion to relations -y when they come to dy themfelves,and are already- dead to all things elfe in the World, yet ftill the heart hankers after theCe>, this is next to the Soul, as the fhift i$ to the body, and is, laft put off: and is Jt fo difficult to dy %o. relations, when we our lelves are dying, putting off from tbe fnoar of this world,and launch- ing into the deeps of eternity : have we fo much ado then to fhake hands and bid farewell to our friends >■ what is it then when we fee them pluckt from Us, when the life of all pamons and af- fections is whole and ftrong intis,fcarce cteaded at all to our enemies, to thofe things we ought to hate, much lefs to our friends, to thofe perfons whom we ought to love-, beg him toconfider and £itty thee in this difficulty.

«. Toll

92 . Sfiritual Pleadings,

3. Tell Him, He knows thou tookeft them as tokens and pledges- of his love, and wert wont to fp&ak of them in thine heart in the language of Jacob, Gen. 35. 5. Tbefe are the friends, the children, the comforts, which God hath gracioufly given His Servant •, and thou fearefl: now that he is about to take them away in anger, afi&tifcH fignificati- Dan. ?. m of tne ftroke is that which difquiets 5,<5.' ' thee, ( like the hand -writing upon the wall) much more then the ftroke it felf. 4- Tell Him ( when they are gone or going ) thou art refolved never to re- cruit with s Creatures h Ask Him if He jviil be pleafed to ftand in the breach and to fill up the gap Himfelf, he fayes +et**h*-\& offers Himfelf thereunto, Beb. 12. 7. courtingthee to accept of his company and fupply \ and if he will make good Jais ofter,:heihallbe better unto thee than ten of thofe relations, friendsxom- forts, yea, tlian tenthoufand fuch things as He firft lent thee or put into thy hand to hold for him, and now hath ken it meet to. call for, away from thee.

5. Tell Him, As for thy Name 'tis in his keeping, muft have a refurreclion as well as thy body, though the one defer ve to rot as well as the other 5 and if his name were not concerned in it, thou t wouldefi

and Expoftulations .

wouideft neither trouble Him north/ felf about it, t. Cor. 4. 3. with me it is a very fmall thing to be judged of men.

6. He knows that though thy liqao- r.icenefs after Creatures hath coft thee dear, yet it hath been the endeavour of thy Soul to live upon Him alone , in the midft of all other Comforts,, to make Him thy All, above All, with All, who frail hereafter be All, without All -5 and that in the mean time, thou mighteft live upon him without other things 5 l£ it mould pleafe him to ftrip thee of them^ as Knowing that there was a worm at the root of thofe gourds, which would one day deprive thee of their refrelhing flmdow, and he knows that fornetimes when friends have failed, though atfirft thou wert amazed, yet upon recollection thon haft rejoj^ced to find thy felf laid at his door alone for helpy and thou haft found Him alone All-fufficient for thee, and He hath done that alone which he would.not do in confort with fecond tail* fes..

LaFtly, He knows how often thou haft offered -Him (if He would fend thee) to go after thofe ancient fervants and filffer- ers for His Name, Bel. 11. 37, 38: to wander about injbeep-shins andgoat-skzns, to that leathern outfide might- be well

*■ liued

<*4 Spiritual Pleadings,

lined with divine love •, to wander in mountains, fo thou mighteft be nearer to Him, in de farts, fo He would not defert thee, fo He would not be a wildernefs or a land of darknefs to thee -, in den* mnd caves of the earth, fo they might be furnifhed and beautified, guilded and Glorified with His Prefence, His preci- ous All-fuiFiceing Prefence .

And he makes but a bad bargin, who takes more of what is lead, and is con- tent to be put off with lefs of what is moft,which thou wilt never be (through* his Grace ) while thou, liveft.

CASE XIV.

• Difquietment fromcrofs providences.

Difouiet; XT" E T thou mayeft proceed and fay, merit JL though he fpare the main bran-

tromcrcsches, I am often affraid of lopping by Provi- fome particular unexpected providences -, fences. a y^ £enter cf fear or trouble, foon

darkens the whole circumference of joy and Pleafure, and on a fudden, many* times the whole Heaven is black with* clouds and wind, when at firft nothing appeared but a little cloud. Stent vola hominis, like a man's hand, which one would have thought would eafily have been blown, over ( as Atkanafius fatd

and Ex 'populations. ?f

I,.. . . ' ~ " -

of the Arrian Here fie, 'Nubecula eft, cito pertranfit ) but it proves far otherwife, and who can fay at all times as Solomon once did to Hiram, i> Kin, $. 4. Nowtb& Lord my tdod hath given me reU on eve- ry fide, fo thai there is neither adverfary mr>evil occurrent 5 if not now yet thou knowefi: not how foon thou may eft meet with many adversaries, many tfp/70c<r»r- rents : yet in this cafe go unto thy God, order thy caufe before him and fill thy mouth with Arguments.

Afk Him, if thy dependence be noiAgimtwsi on him alone, for direction, for fuccefs in all thine under takeings and concern- ments: He knows thou haft no other Priendtotzlyon for counf el or afiftance, and with him the friendlefs and Father- lefs ufe to find mercy: becaufe our faith Hof. 14.; honours him, he ufeth to honour it : The pfal- 6z* King trufteth in the Lord, and through1* l3$,6i the mercy of the mqft high he /hall not mif carry, Pral. 21. . 7. . Thou wilt keep him in perfeB peace, whofe mind is %?yed on thee, becaufe he trufteth in theeMiz.26.^.

Nay he is pleafcd fometimes to make our faith the rule of his favour, and as it were to give liimfelf captive into the hands of our Faith, to be fucfi onto us as we would have him tm be : Mattb. 8. 1 3. Go thy way ( faith

Chriff

<?6

Spiritual p/eadi rigs.

Chrift to the Centurion ) and accord ing as thou' haft believed, fo be it dont unto thee. Beg him to (ay fo unto thee : he knows tor what thou haft believed on him.

2. Hath it not been thy manner tc go to him, and Keg him to go along with thee even in thine ordinary and fmalleft matters ( unlefs thou haft been iurprized J and in thefe it is that men,! for the moft part, mifcarry and fomer 'iKinr.z.times ftumble fatally, as ~ Adorn j ah di.i (£*, Ha. Jjj a{^jng 0f Abefoag, and Hezekiah in *?* ^' * ihewing his Treafnresy Men are jea- lous and timerous in great matters and | dar* not but carry them to 'God, but think that fmall ones are within their own maftery, they need not trouble him about them, and that mines them, but it is not wont to be fo with thee. Jer. 42. 5 * 3. Thou doft not ufe after vows to ^,zo, 21. make enquiry 5 to come to him with all thoughts made up before hand, ful- ly refolved what courfethou wiltfteer, as .the Jews did about their Journey' into Egypt, no, but in -'an equilibrious frame of Spirit, he may turn the Scale with a touch of his finger which way. he pleafeth*, doft thou ufe to let thy, father chufe for thee, as being unable,- unfit to chufe for thy felf, and can he diufe- amifs? 4. Aft

and ' Expoftidations, 9.7

- 4. Afk Him if thou didft not caft thy -felf upon Him, beg Mercy and Directi- on in that very thing which hangs now like a thick Cloud over thine head, and ■ threatens thee with Stormes and Tern- pelts 5 even Saul is affraid to engage without firft arming himfelf by Sacrifice •and folemn fupplication, 1. Sam. 1 3. 1 2.- But the Soul takes it ill to Mifcarry when it hath done fo : not forceing it .felf, (as Saul did ) but acting in a fpirit of ingenuity. It then expoftulates with the Lord, as the Shunamite with the Pro- phet, 2. King. 4. 28. Did I defire a Son vf my Lord ? Did I not Jay do not De- ceive me.

5. Didft not thou think at firft that ' the thing was from the Lord, and that Jie gave thee encouragement therein as Sfacob pleads with him in this very cafe, Gen. 32. 9, 12. Thou faidfi'unto me re- turn and J will deal ne!l with thee, thai* faidfl thou wouldeft do me good^ and wilt fhou now fuffer my Brother to come to fh/ite me (as I- fear he will do ) and ihe Mother with the Children ?

Nay, didft thou riot begin toRejoyee n that Providence, in that Relation, in" ;hat Bufinefs as dropt from ja Father's' land ? Afk Him if he muft now be a- hamed of thy Hopes, and repent of thy

h tmf&

9% Spiritual "Pleadings,

re joy rings and the Good thoughts, thou hadft conceived pf Him ? Shalt thou find a fions inftead of bread, & inftead oi a Fifb a Serpent ? No, one who knows him better than fo,. hath allured thee of the contrary, Luk. n. 10, \\,&c. And therefore at the worft it mall but prove' an advantageous Affliction to thee, it can ruever prove a Curfe,

CASE XV.

Dread of Spiritual Judgements, hardnefi of Heart, Unprofitablenefs under the Means of Grace.

Dread of T} U T What will it avail me ( may Spiritual JS fome fa<J foul fayr) xhat no R0d

-^',;<rw/Jtoutheth me in any of my outward con- cernments, ii in the meantime I ly un- der the lafh of Spiritual Judgments, much Blindnefs of Mind, Hardnefs of Heart, Peadnefs, Coldnefs, Diffractions, Infenfibkneis of fpirit in Holy Duties $ un:: er I leavenry Ordinances, Barrennefs, Unprofitablenefs, Uufuitablenefs to all the coft and care and pains that GOD beftows upon me. This is a Cafe in- deed wherein thou haft need to beftir thy felf,To order thy Caufe before him and fill thy mouth with Arguments. Go tell him,

jfowm i. That of all Judgements he knows

Tha*

and Expofinlations. 99

that fpirituall ones are the moft dread- full though leaft fenfible, thefe though Judgements from Him are fins in us, and Sin is the worft of Evils, nay, the. only evill 3 Thefe lay load upon the Soul, the moft noble and precious part, no matter if the carcafs, the cabinet were defaced fo the Jewel were prefer- red.

Thefe are Arguments of the 'higheft2x^£f. 2o Indignation, the faddeft Symptomes, 12- the moft fearfull earneft of Damnation.

Thefe do evidence that there's no u- Rom. 7,4. 311011 with Chrift, the end whereof is fruitfullnefs, no (kreen betwixt the foul 3 , and wrath, for the earth which (though. it drinheth in the rain that cometh oft [upon it ) which beareth Thorns and bri- ers is rejeEied and is nigh unto curfing, ^ « •wbofe end is to be burned, Heb. 6. 7, 8.5, They who are not for fruit muft be for fewell, if not for bearing for burning, . Plead therefore as for life, that ( un- J lefs he meant to damn the eternally, ) ^e would make all his. Ordinances help- mil, fweet, fuccesf ull , Precious and profitable unto t)iee, . a. Aft Him -who poured the oyl of Uonfecration upon their Heads, whefe ppointments are they ? Whofe Image nd Superfcffption do tkzy bear ? arid. H 2 urge

ico Spiritual Pleadings,

urge, that it is not for his Honour that

they mould prove ineffectual, that thou

lhould'ft go and come from the place

of the I10I7 and yet remain unholy •, that

Ecclef. 8.th0ll {hould''ft weary thy felt with lug-

IO* ging at dry breads, which hath occalr-

oned fo many in our days, (through

their proud impatiency ) to lift their

heels againft them 5 No: let unufefull-

nefs be found written upon all Anti-

chrift's Inventions, not upon any of

Chrift's Inftitutions.

aijfendus 3. Mind Him, that in the vifible

i?/ 1 -itape- Creation, all light is a kind of flame,

irrjl. pag. tj10Ugh very tftfo and exceeding fubtile 5

?2* r 'tis undeniably true of the light of the

1 tnei. 5.Sun^ whJch being contracted and thick-

ned in a glafs, is wont to burn h now why is it not fo in the New Creation? art thou not a Child of the day? is not the Sun of Righteoufnefs rilen upor thee > Why is there not heat proporti onable to all the light that thou enjoy eft .? Why mould thy hardnef s of hear- be ' encrcafed thereby, rather than abat ed ? As the Earth is in a frofty night though the Moon then walketh abou it in all her brightnefs.

4. 'Make bold to mind ^Him, tha fuch is the energy aiicV efficacy of hi Law of nature, that all f^rits do inov

an

and Expoftulations. 101 <

and ftir in their appointed feafons • wine in the veffel is wont to work when the Id- ifofi vine trees flourifti $ the Characters of«Pa*e>S5> fome fruits imprinted on . children , at 7* the time when the fame Fruits are in feafon, are of a more lively red than at other times, and in fome perfons do rife, and fwell, and grow big like the fruit it felf. Mulberries or the like ^ yea the ftains thereof in linnen, ate faid at that time to come forth, and Gnfareh not before: the caufe is ( befides theC"r- PaSe power of refemblance ) the difpofition lW% -of the Air at that feafon, which by the power of God's appointment, is fitly in- clined "to raife up the likefpirits where ever they are.

And hath he not made as pcwerfaU Laws in matters of the inviiible crea- tion as of the viiible? are there no (pi- nts in his fpirituall appointments ? no Law to make our (p.irits move and ftir in thofe feafons of Love and Grace ? .Why do the wonders of nature remain, when thofe of Grace feem to ceafe? yea we our felves find our fpirits move and ftirr with a wonderful! titilation and delight, at our near approach to fome dea?r Relations ^ why mould not -our fouls feel the fame, when we draw -High' to our beft Friends? Our deareff: H il Father

IC2 Spiritual pleadings.

Father, fweeteft Saviour only Comfor- ter? David felt it fo, Pfal. 122. 1,2. I was glad when they [aid unto we, IH m go into the houfe of the Lord, our feet Jhali Hand within thy gates 0 Jerufalem,

5. Mind him that 'tis one of his Crown-Jewels, his peculiar prerogative to teach his people fo as to profit, Ifa. 38. 17. Cathedram habet in exits qui cor da docct • He who fpeaks to the

Luke 16 Heart fpeaks from Heaven, hath his 31,- "pulpit there, one from the dead can- not do it, an Angel from Heaven can- not do it, Rev. 2. 7. it u* ociuoijav, if he he not opening ( though he do nothing to fhut ) no man can open.

But if he will be a teacher, it mat- ters not what the fchollar be^ he hath no fellow at it, who te'achcih like him} faith Eiihn, Job. z6. 22.

6. Mind him of his promife, not only that he will teach, but pal lively that Lis people mail be taught, Joh. 6. 4?. efpecially the humble •, and it may be thou canfl: fay upon thine own obferva- tion, I never was proud of any nthing, never boafted of any good expecled, but I mift it, of any good enjoyed, but I loft it -, God will not fuffer thee to be proud upon any terms, he will r#&er have thee humbled by thy fins, than proud

A " &f

and Expofiulations. I©3

of thy Graces •, and feeing he hath laid thee and keeps thee io low, rill he not teach thee > J ^

7. Minde hip ofhAspraBife all a- long from the creation to this day -, which of all his Saints could not fay as well as David, Thou 0 God haft taught rn§ from my youth up untiU novo, Pfal. 7 1 . 17. Nay he teacheth the husbandman, Ifa. 28. 26. For his God doth inftruci him to difcretion^ and doth teach him : now put him to it and fay, Lord, art thou the Plowmans God ? and doft thou teach him ? and wilt thou not be my God to teach and inftructme? to make me wife to falvation ? for this alfa ( if any thing ) muft corns from him who is wonderful in counfels and excel- lent in working.

8. His goodnefs puts another argu- ment into thy mouthy P/W..119. 63. Thou art good and dvest good ( and if e- ver thou wouldeft do me a goood turn ) 0 teach me thy ftatutes.

9. Appeal unto him if it be not thy practice ("as knowing the unfitnefs and Pfov» f$* unfuitablenefs of thine heart to any Io holy fervice /to caft it into his hand

and thence to expert it ( when the duty

calls tor it ) of another tincture, put in

kelter and fitted thereby for fpiritual

I motion? H 4, 1*. H*

1 04. Spiritual Pleadings

10. He knows it is the devil, and

his agents and factors thy corruptions, which do diffract and difturb thee, and would any parent endure that hisj!ave fhould abufe his child beiore his tace, when he is upon his farce for a bleitmg, or comes to receive his commands ?• Ask him how he can indure.to fee his execrable Have infult over thee before his face ? and doth not rate away that curr, and. pluck him oif, and fling him down to hell from whence he came > why will he not do it ? It is the re- proach of Seuachs rib's Idol, that they who came out of his bowels flew him there, 2 Chron. 32. 21. in the hpufe of his God, under his Idols nofe, in the very aSi ofworfoipng, 2 Kings 79. 37. and he could not protect him : Tell the Lord thy God, the only true God, the living God, it will not.be for his honour that thou moulded be continually hailed and abufed by Satan, and tl.ofe that come forth out bfthinetfsw hwels, when thou fetteft thy felf to worihip him, he look- ing on, who alone is able to refcue and relieve thee, whofe (Glory the Devil ftrikes at herein, as well as at thy peace and fafety.

, 11. Tell Him, if he will allow thee nothing at prefent, but the comfort of

ebedience

and Expostulations. 105

bedience to. fweeten thy: attendance u- pon him, yet that mall not diicourage thee, that (hall not rid him of a cufto mer ; his work on earth as well as in Heaven, is both" work and wages 5 net pnly fir 0 but in keeping his commander tnents there is great reward, Pfal. 19. 1 1. It is joy to the Jufi to do Jugement, Pro. 2i. 15. and through grace it is fo in fomenieafure to thy poor Soul.

12. Laftiy, When at any time thou art afraid to go away from ail Ordinance utterly unregarded,irom a Sermon,from a Sacrament, from oft" praying ground, and no notice taken of thee : fay fe- cretly in thy heart, Lord I' am here • thy poor Client whom Thou knowe'ft fo well, lo here ami-, Not one Word >■ not one look? not one touch this day in this duty ?

Say with her in Judg. 1. i<>. Give me' a blejjing, for thou haft given m-e a South land, a dry. land, give me alfo fprings of\£.lm ^ T< water, and thy Father will be as liberal Pfal. 31. z. as hers was, he will give thee the upper firings and the nether -firings $ 'tis well he finds thee there, though' then doeft not yet find Him, thou ihalt in conclufioa peno'lofer by it

CASE

I o 6 Spirit rta I Pleadings,

CASE XVI.

Fear that Prayer is not bear' J. Fear that Y} UT all thefe pleadings (may fome l^hLlU doubting Soul fay ) for oueht I know may prove in vain, for I have thoughts and oppreffing fears fometimes, that a God fo high, holy, and happy, is not at all concerned, minds not the ad- dreffes of a worm fo wofall, fo flnfull, fo full of diftreffes and diftra&ions, no more than a man minds the movings or inurmurings of flies or bees3which moy's fwifteft or hums f weeteft, for we are in- finitly lcfs to Him than they are com-- pared with us ^ and fometimes I find no anfwer at all, or fo ftrange and con- trary, that my fears are ftrengthned and confirmed.

Now though this temptation cannot prevail far upon thee ( at leaft not fi- naly) if thou art a confrant pleader with Gocl, yet it is needful when it doth but fhew it felf, to go and order thy caufe before him, and fill thy mouth with Ar- guments againft it.

i. Call to mind how God Himfelf •hath affirmed the contrary ,and tell him thou dareft not queftion the truth of his engagements, Pfal. 1 38. 6. Though \the Lord be high yet hath he regard unto \ the*

and Expostulations. jq-j

the lowly , he doth not at all forget him- felf when he remembers thee ^ Nayjie lets forth himfelf in all his Sublimit jr and Glory, when heprofefleth the great- eft kindnefs and condefcention to thofe who judge themfelves leaft capable of it, If a. 57. 15. Thus faith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity^ vhofe Name is Holy? I dwell in the high and holy place, here's enough to make all the creatures that fhould hear it ex- ceedingly to fear and quake (as'tisfaid of Mfes; Heb. 12. 21. ) and yet what follows? what afoft ftill voice after all this thunder > I dwell alfo with him that is of a broken and humble ftirit, to revive thejpirit of tie humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones, fo that he who is brought below the condi- tion of a Creature broken and crumbled to nothing, may yet be a companion for this high and holy One : foin Ifa.fi6,2. though Heaven be my Throne, and the Earth my Footftool • yet to this man will I look tJjat is poor and of a contrite Spirit^ and that trembltth at my word : Ask him now, whether this be the - pre- emption, the Device of any Creature, or his own difcovery which he hath made of himfelf, and tell him. with an Holy plainnefs % boldnefs, that he bath

now

io8 Spiritual Pleadings,

now enfnared himfelf ( if thou may eft with Reverence fay fo J with the words of his Mouth, He cannot go back, and thou haft no Reafon to think He hath any inclination fo to do ; Lord thou ha/i beard the defire of the Humble, Pfal. icu 17. Ay, and He will regard the Prayer of the deft it ute and not defpife their prayer, Pfal. 102. 17.

2. Tell Him 'tis true the diftance is vaft, and wide, and infinite, far above that betwixt thee and the lillieft flie, which thou canft fillip to death at 'HM pleafure, yet he hath given thee a ca- pacity of Communion with Him, which thofe infeEla have not with us ^ and thou doeft often obferve, that a parent is more taken with his little ones lif- ping and offering at words, than with all the Rhetorique of the moft florid and

Pfal. 103. fluent Orator in the world, and like as *h a Father hath bowels of tendernefs to-

wards his Children, fo, yea infinitly more than (b hath the Lord towards theni that fear him ^ plea*d then with Nehentiah, Chap. I. 11. 0 Lord I be- feech thee let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy jervayit, and to the: prayer of thy fervants, who defire to fear thy name,

3. Tell him thy ; confcience, thine

own

and Expostulations. 109

— "~—

own Book as well as his, f the Scripture ) aiiurss thee, he takes notice every time thou finneft againft Iiim,why not every I time thou pray eft andfigheft after him, :PJaI. x 39. firft five verfes, 0 Lord thou hall je arched me and known me, &c. ,!Hear what a great v/riter affirmeth , ^r:/^~ \c Chrift even as man with his humane Book tag. x eyes fees all the wrongs we do or fuf- 33. 2, 5. * c ier, hears all our prayers with his ears, /records all our doings ^ becaufe the 0 hotteft Fire, on Earth cannot impart '* its heat to bodies ten miles diftant,

* cannot the Sun to Bodies more than c ten hundred thoufand miles diftant > c Chriftsglorifiedhumane nature,having

* peWonal union with the Son of God, c may not be meafiired or bounded by c other mens faculties or perfections, The Man Christ. Jefus is Mediator, I. Tiin. 2. ft and jl: ail be Judge, Adr. 17. 31. And if the man Chrift Jefus hear thee, will , he not anfwer Gracioufly % If He were on earth thou woulft expedi it.

4.. Tell Him, that moft men are quick of hearing, when any thing is faid that fhafeth them, and ask him whether he le. more forward to mind what's moft contrary thari -what's moft agreeable to -■him > that which gives occafion to ex- jrcu-te vengeance, his ft range aB,Ifa. 28.

I

HO Spirt itual Pleadings,

2i. or to exercife mercy, his delight Sc pleafure, Mic. 7. 18. he proiefleth to liften and hearken after the language of repentance, Jer. 8. 6. after holy con- ference, Mai, 5. 1 6. The Lord harknej and heard it, and thou haft no reafon in the world to doubt \t\ 1 Job. 5. lk,ij. And this is the confidence that we have in bin/, that if we ash any thing accor- ding to his will he heareth «r, and if we know that he hear us, whatfoever we ask we know that we have the petitions that we defired of him. If a. 59. I. Behold //.'<? "Lords "Hand is notfiortned that it cannot feve, neither bis ear heavy that it can- not hear •, but there's a great objection ver. 2. Tour iniquities have fe par a ted be- tween you and your God, and your fins have hid his face from you, that be will not hear. Well yet,

S, Tell Him, thou muft not only go contrary to thy conference but to thy experience zKo tofufpect him : for thou ca.n'ft ndtbut acknowledge that many a time thyfBPayers have been nearer unto Him, 1. Kings 8. 59. ( as Letters are {tuck in the window which we intend to anfwer) many a time hath He been mgh unto thee in all the things thou haft called on Him for, Dent. 4. 7. Never fia'dft thou more fenfible Anfwer s from a,

man\

and Expofiulations* Ill

man than thou had'ft from thy God 5 thou cinft point to many a mercy as fhe did to her child, 1. Sam. 1. 27. and fdy,for this mercy I prayed and the hard -hath given me my petition which I asked of him. Many a time haft thou had that great priviledge to be one of thofe that are near unto him, PJal. 148. 14. and this neamefs to God in prayer when thou haft come to thank him for mer- cies, it hath renewed their fweetnefs, it hath exceeded it, when to beg mercies fpiritual, it hath been a pledge of them, a part of them $ temporal, it hath been an evidence of a Grant of them, or of whats as good, yea it felf hath beer* better y This experience thou haft had of neameJS to God in Prayer, and it is not the Sin committing, but the Sin-re- gairding Sinner whofe Prayer the Lord will not hear 3 but verily God bath heard me, he hath attended to the voice of my prayer, and therefore I hope I am not fuch an one in his account and eftima- tion, Pfal. 66. 18, 19.

It may be thou" canft fay, in the day-, when I cryedthou anfweredft me,&flrength nedft me with fir -ength in my £W,PfaLi ^8. 3.& that's the beft experience of anfwer to ... prayer, and therefore thou can'ft not; ?all his hearing in queftion, unlefs then

WQUldfJt

112 Spiritual Pleadings,

would'ft fay with this Cowpu?inant(m the worft fence that can be put- upon thefe Words J job. 9. 1 6. If i iJ^iicvlic he bad a,ij^evedy yet would I nqt believe that he had anf were d to myvrice. It looks indeed laJktf -the language of a moft ob- ftinate and invincible unbelief-, as when a man will not beiieve .his Petition granted, though he iee it granted, but it is rather the language of ftibmiflidn and felf-deniall, though I Ipeed never To well in my pleading, in my prayers, yet I will never beiieve that :tis ior a- ny. worthinefs in me. or them, no 'tis not to my voice, but to the voice of a ^nC/[;^e good Friend of mine, my Mediatour that place. 1CGod hearkens, and for his fake it is that he fo Graciouffy anfwers. Wait therefore patiently for the Lord, and he will incline unto thee and hear thy cry, PJ'*L 40. 1. He never yet prepare ed ayif heart to pray, but he alfo cauf* td his ear lo hear, Pfal. ro. 1 7.

C A S E XVII

Fear thaixGvd can new,, take any f pec i- v .' al delight in fneb a polluted piece.

Godcm^X7'"ET:!may the Believing finner iy?\ D?~ ' j[ find caufe of complaining and fay, c!$hi An ™Ef& may! and do run feooth, and ner god- is m'gny ways- bnd^nto mey-yet ^'v caa

and Expostulations. 113

it can take no place in my- Heart that ever he can take any fiecial delight in one that hath been fo ftained, fo cor- rupt ; Sure Chrift himfelf after fuck pollutions, provocations, prevaricati- ons, abufe of fo much light and love, I will never look nor fpeak fo kindly as ^formerly, or as he would hare done, jhad it not been for thefe dif-ervices &nd dif-obligements which I have put upon him $ yet try him and order thy caufe before him : Go fill thy mouth with Arguments, in all humility.

1- Alk the Lord Jefus if it 'be not his work to reconcile, and is the Recon- ciler himfelf fo hard to be reconciled? is the wrath of a Lamb fo terrible >ir> deed when the great day of his wrath Rev- *•*$ is come it will be fo, and who then fliall t6y 1 7 ' be able to abide it ? But this is not thy cafe yet: mind him, that the Wifdom ' Which is from above is gentle and eafie to be intreated, Jam. 3, 17. and (halt %

thou not find the efTential Wifdom of the Father to be fo? is it fo where *T>

there is but a drop, and not fo where there is the whole Ocean ? It is the fick- ly Child that hath moft need of being dandled upon the knee, Tfa. 66, 1 2. The ' h||rt of Chrift is as fit a Receptacle for otfrforrows of all forts, as the. eye is of I colours

H4 Spiritual pleadings,

Collotirs ( as one faith )rand is it {hut up in cndleis difpleafure againit thee only ; can any dregs ot wrath fettle there, un- less towards the vefiels ot wrath ? $>\ip Zeph. i. 17. The Lord thy God in tjjt tindj! of 'thee is mighty': he will Java, he will rejoyct over thee with joy: he ivill ■reji in his love, he will joy over thee with Jingin?: . And what more can be faid to allure thee of his delighting in th:

2. Doth not the ■iweet' Savour of

ChriftVfacrifice the odour ofhjs inter-

ceiiion, lo diftufe it feli and fill Heaven,

j^v^jTpjJifaat the ftench of thy fibs cannot enter-?

$;*. ■ - fur ely were it not for' that perfume,

God could never endure the {linking

dunghill of this World fo near him, to

be as a fmoak in his noltrils all the day.

7. Plead what ■Chrift himfelf puts

into thy mouth, Matib, 18. 13. that

the. owner of the flock, looks with

wore jay, and plea] tire, and delight^ upon

a poor {tray iheep that is recovered

than upon the whole fiockthat never ran.

that .hazard ; and hath not Chrift a long

hxik^u time' bad thee in his Armes, in his Bo-

s, * ' fome, lrpori his Shoidder, to bring thee

back to his fold and favour ? 3Tis a re

fryer, mg Church and people which Chrifi

is fo taken with, and terms aknerfw

delights^ Cant. .7, 6. one 'that hacHreer

forfaken

and Expoftulations. II>

fsrfaken and de folate whom the LorcJ ,is laid to * delight in, If a. 6%. 4. Thou '[halt no more be termed forfaken and de* flare, but thou fliah be called Hephzibah, for the Lord delighieth in thee 5 "Tis to a reforming people, that the Lord en-

f" ageth, tiiat all '>; prions ihall call them lejjed, for ye .thall be a delight f owe 'land faith the Lord, ikfo /. 3. 1 2. And is not Reformation that which thy foul laboureth and longeth after.

' Lis a repaired a re-edified Temple, that the Lord promifeth to 'take flea- fur e in, Hag. 1.8. And is not this the work which his Spirit is about in thee, to raife up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen down.

Tis certain he taketh no pleafure in the death of him that dieth, furely then he taketh pleafure in the life of him, who through his abundant rich grace in Chrift Jefus recovereth, Ezek. 33. to, II. There fore 0 thou Son of 'Man (peak unto the houfe of Ifrael, Thus ye (pake, faying, if our Tranfgreffons and our fins be upon us, aud we pine away in them, how fhould rre then live ? Say un- them, As I live, faith the Lord God, I have no pleafure in the death of the wick- ed, but that the Wicked turn from his way and live. Turn jyV, Turn yefomyour lb. evil

Il6 Spiritual Pleadings ,

. . . j .

evil waxes, for why will ye dye 0 bouf of Ifrael ?

4. Aik whether thou art looted or z.Ccr. 5.as jn t\yy fe^ or as jn cbrifiy in t5ij

17* furety, thy fecond felf, thy head, tbj

hufband? And a iair face gives thede

nomination of beautiful to the whol<

per fen and fo makes it a delightfom<

Tzclc. iC. Object : Tis only his comelinefs pu

14- nponN thee muft malce thee lovely.

5. Aik whether he look on thee a in thy prrfent ftate or ftatjon, or as \v ftiall fee thee, ( after a little while to all eternity > for to him who fit in that high Tower of Eternity, there1 nothing pair nor to come, but all thing a e aliice in one perpetual NO Vfa pre fent berore him-, nowwithin a whileChri] will prefent to Himfelf .( that he ma; tp.ke a full view of her ) and then \ His Father, a glorious Church not havin

Jpot or yrinkle, nor any fitch thing, bv

holy and without hlemijl), Fph. 5. T

and if now he view thee in that eterm

Cant.4.7Glafs, he may well fay, thou art a

fair my love, there is no fpot in thee.

6. A §Kfpcr, a f eaft is for delight ar cheerfulnefs, and even till Supper tim doth Chrift wait t;o be gracious, till tl fliadows of the Evening be ftretchc out, till his head be met tfitb the de:

and Expoftulations. 117

and his locks with the drops of the night* Rev. 3. 20. Behold, I ft and at the door and knock : if any man hear my voice, arid open the dovr, I will come tn to him \ and will j up with hint, and he with me* Now wouldeft thou not fain have fuch a.gueft who alwayes brings his cost with him? who is both gueft and entertain- . ment? Doth not thy foul cry out to him, Come in thou blejfed of the hord,^p wherefore ftanieli thou without ? Yea, if ^1" * ^* thou canft not get open the door, art thou not unfeignedly defirous that he who hath the key 01 David would open it? nay, rather then fail break it open, that fo the King of Glory might come in and Sup with him.

7. Tell Him, it is infinite mercy that now and then thou feeleft his quickning, though thou Ihouldft never enjoy his comforting, his raviihing prefence any more while thou liveft in the World 5 >Jay, there's alwayes fome comfort -in he fenfe of his quickning prefence * tf ay, he knows the' pofture of thy foul o be in fome meafure the fame with hat of David's 2. Sam. is. 26. if he hits fay,! have no delight in thee, ("though hat word break thy heart ) yet here vn I, abfolutly- at his difpofe, he can do tie no wrong, let him d9 with me as it I 3 feemeth

1 1 B Spiritual pleadings,

feemeth good unto him. God mull be weary in delighting in himfelf, Son and Spirit, when he delights not in this ii:.me, which is the Work thereof • ii the Heave!) above vv^re brafs fure the 'earth below would be iron, if there were no yeildings in his heart towards thee, fare there would be none in thy hearl towards him, thou" could 'ft never de- light thy JTeii in the Almighty, if ht took no delight in thee •, they draw back unto perdition in "whom his fou! takes no pleafure, Heb. i o. ?3, 7f. m> foul faith he, loathed them, and then 'foul abhored me. Zech. u. 8.

(CASE XVIII.

Year of urfsrviceablenefs.

Tear of A N D ytt a generous,a noble mind

.tinfervice- x\ ed Chriitian may be ready to fay

s^lene^ ' all this cannot, ought not, fully totfa

tisfie me, * though the Lord admit m<

to i ouch fweet fecret comunion wit]

him ( for which! can never be fuffici

ently thankful ) yet it he wilir not ho

nour me fo a-s to ufe me, and make m-

fo v in iov generation

tlAs is lor a lamentation and owg! t t

♦ he fo. unto me * and this is that I feai

that I Loail prove but a dry tree, a:

trapr

fy .-.!"■ . ■ — — — __ — — — . — -

and . Ex poft illations, 119

<empty vine,, bring forth no Fruit , do no

gccd, neither find God working with

me, nor be admitted to work with God,--

as 'tis laid of 'Jonathan, there ihali not ,

one hair of his head rail to the ground,

for hs bath iv? ought with God this day ,

I. Sam. 14. 4. io doth every goodwar-

riour, every good Magiftrate, and that's

his greateii comfort., Glory and fafety,

that he works with God, and God with

them.

So Paul (peak? of himfelf and his fellow-labcurers in the Miniftry ^ we then as workers together with hi)?/, 2, Cou 6. j. But I fear I mud never have the honour of that Title whatever my cal- ling or capacity be, for it was not only his way in the old Teftam ent, in the old Temple, but 'tis>t-hreatned in that ' Gofpel-vi/ion, £zd;. 44. 10, n, liqb That they who have itrayed far from him in times of temptation and epede- mical Apoftacy, fhall bear their iniqui- ty, their ihame, and their abominations, (that is, feme fad reward and remem- brancer thereof J and though admitted to the inpyment of many precious pri- viledges, yet! mud: be baniihed from fhe neare>i approaches, and bighefi firvices^ *tis exprefc in the ftrain and ftileof the ' Old Teftamen:^ but is intended and

I % calculated

-

12© Spiritual pleadings,

calculated for the Meridian of the new,' and reaches not only Minifters but all Profeflors, all thofe who are now the royal Prieft-hooJ, I Pet. 2. 5, 9. Rev. 1. '5. and even amongft good people, where is the man that is able to bear, being laid afide and can: ofFat the end of the fcag?, and to fee frefh inftruments f,chcfefl ? what is it elfe imbitters fo ^flanc* ™nY fPixito • and how Ihould'ft thou zChr. t$, be able to bear fuch a tryal, either to 10, r$. fall from thy (landing, or do no good though continued in it, which of the two is the worft by far : if ever this bef thy cafe, Go order thy caufe before him and fill thy mouth with Arguments, Though guilty of many ftrayiu^s from him. 'Arguments x. Tell Him, thou perceived it is not his will to deftroy thee ^ if the Lord Judg. 1 5 . vvcre pleafed to kill thee, he would not ?*- have accepted an offering at thine hand, 1 nether would he have fhewed the all thefe things which he locks up from fo many thoufands.and yet hath acquain- ted thee with them •, thou canft look him in the face, and fay with the Pro- phet, Hab. 1. 12. Art not thou from e- verlafting 0 Lord my God, mine holy one, ljf.mll not die : Thou art the King eter- wl, and fiyayed not by tune-accidents,

fob

and Expostulations. 1 2 1

but by eternal confiderations,thou chan- geftnot,and therefore I am* not, I fhallMal. 3.S not be confumed. Now then,

2. Plead upon this ground and tell him, it Is not fo much for his honour only to keep the alive and make no ufe of thee •, to preferve thy foul, only as fait to preferve the body, but do no fer- vice •, and if thou had'ft help to do all that is commanded cr can be expected of thee in thy place, is net thy Soul prepared to fay, thou art but an unpro- fit able ferv ant, Luke 17. 10. and never open thy mouth more byway of boaft- ing.

3. Minde him, that through his grace fome fad finners ha ve proved moft (hill- ing Saints, as in Scripture the children of women long barren have proved moft eminent Inftruments in Church and Common- wealth, of Sarah, If aac $ of Ra- chel, jfofeph -, of Hannah, Samuel 5 of Ma- no ah s wife Sampfon •, of Elifabetb0 John theBaptift} fo amongft finners, fome that came in late into the vineyard,

have plied their hands, and laboured lCorI. more abundantly than they who were^ J&t admitted before them: Ahimaaz out- runs Cujhi ( though he fet out after him) and comes to David before him ^ and ^f ever a foul had need to redeem the

122 Spiritual Pleadings,

time, and fetch up what hath beenlofl> thou much more * and it will be to the praife oi the glory of his Grace if he will help the fo to do.

4. He. knows that thou art now in a way of purgation and purification, and therefore it will be no diihonour to him, now to ufa and imploy thee ^ nay he hath publifned it by the pen of his A- poiile, that if a man purge ' him f elf from ihefe ( from the pollutions wherewith he hath been defiled ) he fball be a vejj'el unto honour, fatiSttfied and made meet for the Matters ufe, and prepared unto every good work, ( and thou aiieft no more, ) 2. Urn. 2. 2i. They who will not be reduced and made better, are often a- gainft their wills reduced and made lower, if not utterly calhiered and dif- mifled-from rurtheriervice, but he that can plead the former may fcape the la- ter, as having new ( through Grace ) 'prevented the Lord, and faved him a labour.

5. Aft Him. if he did not callthctSc leid thee to thy prefect {ration, and Will he now leave the?, to* wither like a Kuitfirffi intrn mire, and vanim away iv utter irnferv Who in a

war of God can take u td himfelf the honour of Magifiracy or Miniftry, or

any

y _. . _

and Exf ovulations.

any other way of ufeflillnefs, but he that is called x>f God thereunto, as was . Aaron, Hek J. 4. and yet thou defireft to be prepared to juftifie him, though h« proceed with thee as witK Eli's, home, I Sam. 2. 30. Wherefore the Lord God of Ifr del faith, 1 faid indeed that thy houfe, and the houfe of thy fathers fonld walk before vie : but now the Lorjfaith^ be it far from me •, for them that honour me 1 will honour, and they that d.efpfe mefoall be lightly efteemed , aftd thou haft been too too often guilty of defpifnig him.

6. Ask if he remember not how thou didft often beg him never to truft thee With advantages, with opportunities ^ unlefs withal he would give thee an heart to be faithful and fruitful in the improvement of them > Haft- thou not prayed (upon thefe terms) even againfj power and riches? left thou fhouldftbe full and deny him, and fay, who is the g*j£ $• Lord? Haft thou not been in this regard ' ' more afraid of riches.honouf, greatnefs,. than their contraries ? yea fometimes more afraid to live- than to die, fearing 3eft thou fhouldft not live unto him and to hisfervice? loath therefore haft thou been to launch into the world a-

fjain, after tjiou haft been laid up by bme hcknels.

7< How,

124 Spirt itual Pleadings,

7. How often haft thou defired fince thou cameft into the road of opportuni- ties (in fence and fear of unaniwerable- hefs ) rather to be removed than to fill up a room, and cumber the ground, and keep out others that might be more tifeful ? and will he neither remove thee nor improve thee > neither cut thee down nor malce thee fruitful ? ^ Laftly, Tell him plainly that paf- fage in Rom. 5.-20. Where fin abound- ed grace did- much more abound, makes thee ( being now found of him in a way of Faith and Repentance ) not only rot to fear extraordinary judgements, but even to look for extraordinary Fa- vours ^ more love unto him, more Hu- mility, more Holinefs, more watchful- nefs • and by thefe, more than ordina- ry ufefullnefs and Serviceablenefs m thy Generation, let him put or place thee where he pleafeth : it is not his cliipofitjon to upbraid, Jam. i„ <;. and therefore thou expecteft he fhould give L -her ally of that wifdom to thee, which may make the Serviceable in thy ftation. .CASE XIX. Fe^r of being caft off at lafl.

Scaft A FTE* allthis th?rC ™Z t*

•ff at laft*xV.-^ a tew& Acloan in the Camp,

dch

Fear of

and Expostulations* I25

which will be fingering the Accurfed thing ( unbelief,) a, Jonah in the Ship, which will be railing new tempefts, and that is a Fear left God at laft mould turn his back upon thee, 8c thou be found amongft thofe that are Deceivers of .their own Souls, being turned into beli,Vhl.9.ij* when it feems their looks ( though no- thing elfe ) were towards Heaven*, if evermjs be thy cafe, hye thee to God prefentjy, Go fill thy mouth with Ar- guments* \ h Complain againft thine own heart, ^uments fo far as there is any mixture of un- belief in this Fear •, confefs that as to "God it is an unworthy jealoufie, and -> thou haft need with Gideon to cry tojz^f& :hixa for mercy , to pray that his anger may $9- "iiot wax hot againft thee, for afking him fo many figns, confidering how oiten the fleece hath been wet and the floor dry already to give thee fatisfaclioi?; Yet v/hen thou lookeft downward there is mifery enough* and matter e-* enough to juftifle all thy Fears, and to m:>ve him to pardon, yea to fanctifie . them unto thee, efpecially confidering that thy Ail is at the ftake, and that . it is Eternity, Eternity, Eternity that . is before thee ^ that vaft Gulf of Eter- nity $ and if thou art miftaken in thy

confidence

Spiritual pleadings,

confidence, thou art loft irrecoverably to all Eternity : this may move hini to pity rather than to anger •, and to fay to them that are of a fearful hearty Be ftrong, fear not, behold your Cod will come and fave you, Ifa. 35. 4.

2. For thy further Eftablifhment afk him if he have not made all as lure as Grace can make it > yea, it is there- fore all of grace, that the promife might be fur e to all the feed, Rom.4.i6.aslure . as infinite. Love, infinite Wifdom, in- finite Power, can make it, and thou dreadeft it as thou doft Hell it ferf make the God ot all Grace and Truth a Liar, 1 John. 5. 10. to add to all thy other evils that grand* abomination of unbelief which puts more affronts and fcorn upon him than all other fins what- soever.

?. Aflc if all the fpirits of juft men

now made perfecl will not confeis the

Act T^ Mercies of Chrift to be fure Mercies,

it 10 and that hc c as b<m* faith °f Ruth)

/hewed them more hindnefl in the latter end, than at the, beginning, and that Toh IT i having loved his own which were in the 'World he loved them to the end, and re- served the belt Wine for the laft, the laji Grapes ( efpecially in Chrift s vine- yard ) yeild tk* fweeteft wine 3' David

makes

and Expostulations. 12"}

makes it obvious to any mans obferva- tion, PfaL 37. B J. Mai k the per f eft man and behold the. upright : ( he goes cur- rent for a perfect man ) for the end of Wat man is peace. And even a Balaam is forced to acknowledge it, -that there is a dffireablenefs in the death, in the later end of the righteous, Numb. 23. Jo. hot me dye the death of the Rights* ousj and let my later end be like his.

4. If yet thou ieareft as to thine own particular,aik if the holy Ghoft (-who Roni> 3^ makes it. 'his trade to help hinrmities '±z6. and l&tfi helped thee in thine all thy life long J aik.if he will net then help thee when thcu art moil in£r:n ? No- thing but a lump of infirmity and v/eak iiefsr ? fureljr then, in thy greateii need he will not rail thee.

Laftly,' Tell him, he knows whyithoii would'fr fo bin be with him in his Heaven, not 'becaufe thou fancier!: it a Turing Varadife, or a Vagayiifm Elifiurn, abounding witaCarnal.or Corporal plea- fures •, not Ouly becaufe thou would'ft efcape everlafting burnings ( tIioughheAct<2 ,Q himfelf cannot blame thee for aiming ^ p't. 1 , at this, feeing he commands thee by all 10. means poffible to endeavour it 5 ) But thy foul longs inceilintly to go to Hea- ve n, becaufe Keavefi is the Land of

Hallelujah^

1 2 S Spiritual Pleadings,

Hallelujahs, and thou woulcTft fain b* ■thankful, really thankful ?

Heaven is the Land of Love, and thou wouldft fain take thv fill of love, in loving and being beloved -, in loving as thou art loved, without intermition, without interruption, eterna!y,and fobe ever with Chrift, which is by much far better, Phil. i. 2}. All thefe meet daily with a thoufand hindrances and incum- brances, which make thee fick of earth and fgh for Heaven, Groaning within thy fe If with that bleffed Apoftle (who had once been there ) 2 Cor. $. 2. Form this we groan carneflly, defiring to be c loathed upon with our houfe which i* •from Heaven.

Hinderances and Incumbrances,which make a Hell above ground, not to be endured by any honeft heart, and how much more intollerable then is the ne- thermoft Hell, for there is never a nook, never a corner in it, where a poor tin- ner might weep eternally, without blaf pheming, without hearing blafphemies, without hating of God, without finning againft him : He knows how often thou haft told him, if there were, how much more quietly thou couldft accept oi the punifliment of thine iniquity there, anc Aere juftifie him, an'.l there bewail

thy

and Expoftulations. 129

thy folly and madncfs, and lament the lots o: him for evermore. But to loie him and all love to him, and to be na- ning againft him eternally, this cannot be coniented to, bat by a Creature da ra- iled already, though above ground $ no- thing therefore fhort of Heaven can fa- tisfie thee or ought to to do •, and if up- on thefe Terms thou eantl not be ad- mitted into his Ren> fire he will have J0h. 14; bit little, who went thither to prepare a i% 5. Place for thee.

This Hope then we have as an An- chor of the Soul, both fur e and fled fi3, and which entereth into that within tbs Vail, whither the Fore-runner is for us entered, even Jefus made an Htgft Prie/l for tver, after the order of Mel c hi fe dec, Heb. 6.

1 9, 20. Thus Building up your f elves in your ntofl holy Faith, and Fraying in the Ho 'y Ghoft, keep your fehes in the Love of God? looking for the Mercie of our Lord Jefus Chrifi unto eternal Life, Jude

20, 21. CASE XX.

biterceflion for others : With Complaints concerning many Things which are a- mifs in our Times.

U T Haft thou not a Good Mlnd^^f ( before parting ) to fpeak a Good <*£-*£; K WonT ■■'

B

I *o Spiritual Pleadings,

Word for others alfo > This hath been conftaiitijr the way of the Spirit of A- doption. When David came before the Lord upon the iaddeft Occaflon that e- ver his boul was acquainted with, when he was *moft full of his own Concern- ments, and had moft caufe of Fear that his appearing ior others might do harm rather than good, yet then he ventures to drop a word iovSfon, and remembers Jerufalem amid ft his great eft grief, as pfal ,.- well as he prefers her before his chief eft 6. joy. Do good in thy Good Pleafure unto

PfaJ. J i . Sion y build thou the walls of Jem fa! em. *& What his Sins had weakened, and at-

tempted to Ruine, He endeavours to ftrengthen and Repair by his Prayers, and leldom do ye fice him rife from off His knees before He had pleaded the Church's Caufe, & oftentimes he makes that his only errand, as you may find by feveral Ffalmsy pen d for no other pnrcofe.

K:ry many times the beft Pleaders feel nt>t their hearts warm in the wofk, X\\ they come out or tbe narrow circle o;*.y;»;r rwn perfona] Concernments, & kv.uv" \ i::tn the bufmefs of the body of CrLt n d then are their Hearts fixed b}* the fplrii u\i Supplication,

the great boul of that Body.

But

and Expoftulationf, i^t

But now adays many praying per* fons can find little to iay< unkfs by way oi complaint concerning the pub- lick g Be it fo, you were told at the firit that the word hef e tranilatea jrfrjjfc* »;*j?/.r figuifies Cwiplaitits alfo; it theri thoii canit mike the Caufe of the publiok th ne (Wn ( zi thou oiightelt' t dp? ) Go order thy caufe Before hinV and" fill thy rnouth with Argument^

7. Plead for his poor Ferfecuted people irgumenj all the World over, ait ir it be no thing to him to fee the blood oi the Marty res oi Jeius Cbrift, fpilt- like water upon the ground eve.- to nis day, in pied" m-nt, Poland aril cth-r places* are not the eyes of his g]ory yfrg&tf o: Such fad fpedacles ? at-ti it Mere be not with' them, even with them in s again!! the Lord, and if the Rage wherewith" they have flain his Servant*, reach not up to* Heaven, 2 Chrsn. 28.' 9. it was wont" fo to do in rormer" times > Complain,; that their holies are frittered at the Graves Mouth, as when one aitte'th and r^ £g ^' cleaveth Wood upon the Larth, Vfal. : 141. -7. and aft: if he look not on to require it > When fhall the Earth dif- , :lofe her blood, and 110 more covet heif fflain? .

2;' Complain thatthereY nothing vi? E 2 fiblr

1 3 2 Spiritual Pleadings,

Rev. 17.6. fible towards a Reckoning with that Though drunken />e#/?,which makes it felr drunk jfeuid years w^ t^le blood or the Saints as with Rev. zq.z Sweet wine-, nay he feems of late to were g,ran- blow upon fome enterprises level d at ted to be- tjiem, and to Ihkie upop the Counfels f-^f^ of the wicked. Aik him When fhallthofe Covftan- fpurty and two moneths be expired ( tor tines De-men mifs it in their calculations and gree, An. conjectures ) when mail the mountain* Sfj1;}"" flow down at his prefence (and the* pire , it Sevetj iilis a nongtt the reft ) when the rifinii ihall the powers^of the Earth melt like of the 0/- Wax before the fire, attht prefence of

*™\Y An the Lord' at the PrcfeRCC of the God of

rjjo.'aiid ^e whole earth ? Why is bis Owet fa

the Jevil Inn^r a coming, why tarry the Wbs&fo of

then let bis Cba>et? Mind him that the Narveft

loofe *- of the Earth is not only ripe, but even

fnuft he dried UP anc* withered, ig»^9»f 8 &*/**

■ have no /*»< ?»* >?f, itei;. 14. t$. compared

longtime with Mitth. 13. 6. and jr. to. A

to play waB^erfuU expreiiion of His Patience ;

4eee^r^but how long Lord Holy and True?

as appears when, oh when ihall it yet once h$1 Aflc

by com- Him if His fonl takes any pleafure :n

paring , them, that he thus long continues them.

7 ^ith°' ^ ^ut ^cores w^t'1 tne Poor Jews* we theio.iw.arc many a prayer behind hand with See Dr. them , when fhall the Redeemer come

Kamond

£

and Expostulations.- I

55

untp &'<?», and turn away* ungodlinefs -3.om.ii. from Jacob ? when will he tip up his zy pet f tbbfe perpetual 'deptatvjns , to the , ~^* Mou iitai i that. have laid aj&ays waftE*zek.2^ ( fe , s one would think, as ii he 8. fennfe ught the time very long )

jwhei the receiving of them be as R

lire from the dead? tell him, we hear (J°m*Iirv as yet oi no noife, no making at all in the valley of dry bones, no coming Ezeic. 37; together oi the bonesjbone to. his bone *, 7* and yet how much of the Glory oi Cod, and good of men-, how much of that treafure is imbarqued in this bottom } when fhall Saints And Marions be Syno- fiytnas and Termini convertibiles , as is implyed, Rev. 15. 2. King of Nations, « r> , and -yet tis translated, King ei Saints, ^ ^9 p as if at that time Saints and Nations mould be of an equal extent and latin tude.

4. Beg a watering upon his Vlantati- tms abroad 5 there are many Precious fouls worthy of thy remembrance, many poor fouls that need if, many praying fouls to whom thou oweft it, many pleading fouls who will repay it j therefore you that have efcaped the miferies that have befallen others, re- member the Lord ( his concernments and people ) afar off, and let Jerufalem K 3 ' , cpmo

134 Spiritual Pleadings,

come into your mind, Jer. s i . ?o. Many, Jiave friends' and relations with whom they enjoy little Communion in this w^rhl. nray ye may meet it the right Jiand pfChrift, never to part m the next. 5. Complain unto Him of that ipirii pf prophannefi, which yet domineers in our Lands, and over the generallity oi cur Nation, though he hath loved our Nation, and hath wrought fuch Salva- tions for us, as can no where be matched, fave in the itory of lfrae!-9 he hatjb gi- ven fome into our hands, others undei pur leefe ( I need not name them ) fun or all the world Engh(h-wen are undei tjie moil pow-erfitl obligations unto ha liners-, but alas, how iil do we requit< th? Lord, like a fooliih peoplg and un- wife : Qh prav tfeaj Thrill may indeec ffa* 12-.' iprr.kle many Nations, and ours I?* mong the reftm a fpeoial manner,wjtl

His blood and Smrit, that we may ye become a peculiar people zealous of goo l tro* ks:

f. Prefs Him to raft out that un thi^h^d fpirvt wherewith fo many art pofiefled even to a itrarge degree c diftemper that hath befallen us, whicl is faid of Egvpt, the Lord hath ming led a Peryerfe Spirit in the midfr of us which eawfeth us to ejr in every re irk af

drunkt

and Expostulations. 1 2 J

drunken man ft agger ah in^ bis vewit,If*„ iy, 14. We are ready torcel apd daih one 2gainft another continually,, m^ny abui-ng, many difpifeing all their prefeht mercies, though but a few years ago, Ihe crumi of that loathed Manna, which now fail fro 01 our tables would bare re- liihed as moft precious privileges , Worthy to be purchaffd at the rate of the ■unnoft hazards and L-rdihips^ p*e- vithners keeps many trom praying for their Magistrates, and how can the? look for good by them who fin in ceaf- 1 g to pray for them, \ Tim. 2. 1, 2, w;iat would that Melted man if now a- live (ay unto us, who fo f xhorted in Ne- ro s time, and becaufe he knew men would be backward, he backs his com- mands with Arguments from the beneHte% that redound* to the Church & from the acceptablenefs of this pra&ife to God, making [applications \prayers, interceffionsf _,. and giving of thanks fir aU msny for l% ^ ; Kings and for all that are in authority,

7. Ask when that unclean fpirit of error, Mafyhsmy and delufion, {hall have its pafs ( according to his promjfe, 2,acb. \\. 2.) and be fent packing out of our Lands > Some, not of the woril people, ilmple fouls ( £&&*, as the A- poftlc calls them ) have been milled R(?m- * K4 h€retrl8:_

Spiritual Pleadings,

hereby •, and he hath faid, They that er/.ei in fair it {hall come to understand- ing, and they that murmured Jball learn doFtfine, If a. 29. 24. they that erred, & they that murmured, the holy Ghoft ri iks them together, as being of one feathers it fens there is no final alFi- hlty between the erroneous ar,d themur- inurers-, but pity and pray for thofe who like Abfolom\ two hundred, follow their leaders in the fimplicity ot their hearts.

8. Bewail before Him, that wofull, wilfull, atieded, Soul-murdering Igno- rance, which as a vail covers fo many, hearts and faces,notwithftandingall the means of light afforded us : there are indeed too too many dark places even in all the three Nations ( in Ireland e- fpecially) which are full of cruelty.-, but alas how many are there in the midft of ouxGrfljens without ChrihVwithoutGod in the worM.meer Atheifts, as the.Apoftle calls them,Efbef. 2. 12. ^^oflv'^nS kg^o,, without any inward appretiative ac- quaintance with God, without any pow- erful, experimental, practical know- ledge at all. Jfa. 29. When fhall the day dawn, wherein i3, the deaffeall bear the words ofthebook^

and the eyes of the blind fee out of ob-

fcurity

and Exfoffulations. *I7

fcurity,*tid out of darknefs I when will the Lord again make bare his holy arm? and fpread forth his hands in the midft of our Congregations ( to pull in7/-** %** Souls unto himfelt ) as he that fweemeth I0, ftretcheth forth his hands to fweem ?

When will he fmell in our Afiem- blies a favour of reft7and take plealure in our folemn meetings, as in the daysG^.&ir, of old ? how long (hall all his poor Minifters complain, that converfion work hath a flop put to it every where?

9. Deal earneftly with him about the compounding and compremiling of cur differences, aiftances and devifions, which have given fuch a wound to re- ligion,opned fuch a gap to Satan,which [every one complains or£ and yet helps to widen 5 beg that all the children of light, may walk more in the light a she is in the light,, and then fiall we have fellovpffip one with another, 1 John 1.7.

Beg he would put it into the hearts of all His people, to imitate that good pattern, Judg. 1. 7, 2,&c. which doubt- lefs waits for a Spiritual accomplifh- ment as well as all other things which happened to them in figutcjitdah hatli the priority given him, jure devino, by an Oracle from Meaven,JttdahfiouU gs upfirSJSehold I have delivered the Land

into

1 1% Spiritual £l**dlngs9

into his band, and yet her? p n he def-

Eifetfi not the aid ni * i hii

rethren but invites Simeon ins brot el to engage with him againir the icon mon adverfary and promifeth the like a I ftj ance unto him, and fpeeds never a whit the worfe for it, but the better * God isfo far from being o^emled with this pradtife that he bleueih it exceedingly, and delivered up the common enemy into their hands-, tlms would he deal by us as to our fpiritual enemies, coulc we unite to engage againft them, anc leave our pickenngs and carnal contend ings to overtop and Supplant and im pofe upon one another.

io. Laftly, Prefer one Bill of com- plaint more in a cafe which few think of, notwithftanding all our Boftiogj and pretenfions to a through reforma tion, and that's this : Few men now fxov. 3. adays do honour the Lord with theii 9' 10, fubftance, few look at tbis as a duty Pomtm cft*Q confecrate any part of their gain un- intgrti- to the Lord, or of their fubftance tc

tas axi- the Lord of the whole earth, but carry »•. God 2

by txact-

ing this Tribute tries the fmcerity of our love, faith obedience; when the Ifraehtes would not endure thi fight of hira, who came to demand the Tribute, it wa afurefign of their total and final revolt and defecti en, it \va$ then ki&h time for ReUfam to get bid

md Exfoftulatitms, l$f

it as if they were turned Independents indeed, and 'did not depend no not up- on God Himftli, or as if God Himfeif had lo& his propriety,, and there wei e now no rent-peny, no acknowledgment due unto him, lave fuch an one as cofts us nothing \ Surely God from the be- gining rcferved and claimed a part due to himielf, who gave the whole, and whatever there was be£des $ this alia was rri the facrif ccs ol Cain and Abelyn feclaiowledgement that Grd hath a right in every man's goods ^ afterwards ne publiiht and put in his claim mere per-' «oiptorly; hxol 22. 29. Thou fhalt n*t delay 10 o;ev tie fir ft of thy upe fruits ani of thy liquors : the fijjt born of ' ay f&ns'jfiaiftbou <v)ve unto me. Non tardfoi kts^ Th'Hi [:3\t not delay, this implies an antient afage, this is no new thine, but a Law of ro?;£rmation, and yet this was before the Lw//Vrf/inftitution, Lev ?7..~c. And a>r! the ty the cf i^e Land, whether $ 'the feed of the hand, \ er of the fruit of the tre.e, is the Lords ;, \ it is holy unto the Lord. It is the Lor ,, 1 it is his already, and had been fo from the beginning of the world, and he now 1 appoints the Levite, the (Irahger e widow, and the Fatherlefs to be his tent-gatherers or Receivers Genera) ,

*4° Spiritual Pleadings,

i.King J)cut. 16. 1?, 13. When thot4 haft made And 'tis an *n^ °f ty thing all the tythes of thine ob{erv'd,*Hcreaf*, the third year, which is the year that of ty thing, and hail given it unto the Chrift Levite, the ftranger, the father iefs, and reproved f^e wt^ow-> l^at they may cat within thy all fins, g^es, and be filled.

pumfhed Then thou Jhalt fay before the Lord none, but thy God, I have brought away the hah that or l0wcii things out of mine houfe, and aifc Jam cdve 7 ■ 1 J r . v •

and Pm- bave given them unto the hevtte, ana fbavati nttnto the ftranger, to the father Iefs, and H of holy the widow, according to all thy command- "jjttS*.' ments3 which thou haft cammanded me:

he do^ I ^Jave not trayifgreffC(l thy command*

when lie wents, neither have I forgotten them.

comes us Tis due to him, quaji Regale vetti-

ajud^e gal, as a royal revenue^ and he dctlj

toanr-^^^ ^rf credere, ( faith " CthtinJ]

count for vvhen h : thus difpofeth of it •, But where1!

all our the defect, the default ( may fome fay]

receipts where 's the irregularjty to be com-

^inT plained of? I with trial were made

whether it may not be proved ( if the

point were well ftudied, but I fhall only

hint it ) that the * tenth part( orothei

proportion ) of every mans increafe, ac

* Unuf- .quifitions, improvements, and incomes

euifqueds 1!

quali ingftuto aut /trtificio vwit.de itfo dechnam Deo h peuperihus 'velin ecclefiis nonet, Au^. de reft.Catbol. convtrj Te. 9. Foi. 250. Thus did' the primitive Cbiiftians, M& nictivi umfqusjtip.em afonit, &e.

and Expostulations. 141

s due unto the Lord even to this lay ; I am far from thinking or frying Jiat it is due unto the Mittiftry or to my fort ot men, but that it is due and night to be dedicated to God, and to [he everlafting Priefthood or cur Lord fefus Chrift, by way of thankiull ac- knowledgment to God for the fame, t tenth which even the Minifters and ih&Glebe it fe If ought to pay, and fo )«ght to be expended in the fupport-* ng of publick worfhip, in the relieving )f the poor at home and abroad, un- mc eua* ier the rage of perfecutioa in other depojfta Countries, aiid in the education of pietatis 3oor Children, the advancement of lear-/ttM/' fum ningf that ineftimable Jewel ) and1^.™" • other pious ufes. And would every man}, Y£e% chat abounds make fuch a Purfe, and dhndi^ iccount it defofitithtpietatis, as a facred tymnti- Treafuryor Corban not to be opened difwe& m for pious ufes 3 how many neceJfi-^XTe tous parents, per ifhing orphans, poor %}men* \ged people, Perfons RmVd by Fire, tihu* def- )hipwrack, or the like, might fpeedilr titut^ \ p relieved ? There is no pious Perfbn $$fi? |)ut judges fomething due this way,and Apolog.

» the J&icquU

Venn hrieni, pnu*erur» eft, Hi er. Til cafe of neceffity,of [xtremitv, God's Command makes relief due unto o- hers, makes them ov/ners, Matters, of our fuperfluities ; rot that they mar take it by rbrce,but that we nwft girt reejy. Trajppe on Prov. 13. %-jt

t+2 Spiritual Pleadings ,

the Holy Ghoft calls even a man's QuJ rity due debt, Pwv. 3. 27. Withhold not good from them to wh^m it is due, when it is in the pr>r?er of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy Neighbour, go and come tgain, ayid to Morrow I will give, when thou haft it by thee, verf 28. What we call giving, God calls paying ; What we call Charity He counts due Debt