Grace and Mercy to a Sinner, in a Time of Afflictions. OR The serious Meditations of M. Tho. Ford of Rochester: During the time of his Imprisonment, before his Execution. Faithfully delivered from his own copy. Together with his Funeral Sermon, Preached by Mr Wil. Sandbrook. P. M. Rochester. Set forth for the strengthening of our Faith, in Jesus Christ; and to arm ourselves against Satan. Published for the satisfaction of his Friends, and conviction of his Enemies. By John Plasse. LONDON. Printed by Joseph Moxon, for Francis Cossinett, and sold at his shop in Tower street, at the sign of the golden Anchor at Minsin lane end. 1657. To the Reader. Courteous Reader, I Having the Original of this copy committed to my hands by the Author thereof, (it being a grand part of his serious meditations, during the time of his imprisonment in Rochester) was desired by many of the Inhabitants and others adjacent, to transcribe the same, that it might be committed to press, thereby to come to the public view. The piece itself is but small, yet full of many precious Truths: and although penned by a Person statned with the guilt of the blood of his own Sister, yet in it thou shalt find so much of God's glorious Countenance shining out upon him, (after so long a time of God's withdrawing) which thou shalt find fully discovered in his last Speech, annexed to this Treatise; that thou Mayest conclude with me, doubtless he is now at rest in the arms of a faithful Redeemer. Judge charitably, accept of it kindly, and walk thank fully with God for a● his mercies: These are the only desire of him, that is Margaret's Rochester Ian. 26. 1656. Thine John Plasse. Several Notes and Observations, collected by me Tho. Ford, for the strengthening of my Faith in my Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, and feeling of the assurance of my everlasting salvation. Dedicated to any tender eye that will pardon the mistakes, and correct the Errors. My entrance by Prayer. MOst high and mighty Lord God, that didst create Man after thine own image; but he fell from thee, and by his fall made himself despicable and most vile in thy eyes. O Lord we are in his loins, and are corrupted in him, so that our original corruptions are enough to sink us into Hell, without any actual transgressions. But ever blessed be thy Name thou didst not leave us in this condition, but didst provide a Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, to randsom us from the thraldom of sin and death, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Strengthen me O Lord the greatest of sinners, that I may by sure evidences from thy good spiri● working in me a lively faith, receive some crumbs of mercy from thy Table. Take away O Lord the hardness of my heart▪ the blindness of my understanding, the deadness of my affections: Create in me O God a new heart, and renew a right spirit within me: Make me to hear joy and gladness: Rebuke the Tempter that hath been too strong for me; and while I live here, let me live to thy glory; and before I depart hence receive that blessed and comfortable sentence from thee, Thy sins are forgiven thee, And this I beg of thee for the sake of Jesus Christ my alone Saviour and Redeemer. Amen. Of God. He is glorious in his Essence, and glorious in his Persons. In his Essence, of an eternal being▪ by himself, without beginning and without end, Jehovah, Elohim. He is glorious in his Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is glorious in his great work of Election. The Son is glorious in his great work of Redemption▪ The Holy Ghost is glorious in his great work of Application. The Father is glorious in choosing the House. The Son is glorious in buying the House. The Holy Ghost is glorious in dweling in the House. To apply this to myself. Is God so full of glory and Majesty? with what an awfulness and dreadful reverence of his Majesty should I come before him to beg pardon for my sins? for my sins that have been so sinful beyond measure? the whole course of my life hath been nothing else but a continual act of sin; and to all my sins have added Murder, and that not of a stranger, but of my own Sister. Well, Where shall I rest for Comfort▪ In the Father? He is full of Majesty and Glory; I cannot. But here must I rely, upon Jesus Christ my Redeemer; that by true repentance for my sins, (principally as they have been an offence against the Majesty and dishonour to his Name) joined by a lively Faith in Jesus Christ: Here must I cast Anchor, and upon this Rock must I be preserved from despair of God's mercies. Quest But how shall I come to Christ, that I may find mercy? Ans. 1. Come to him mourning and loathing thyself for thy long continuance in sin, and refusing of him: come with a broken and lamenting heart, for all thy sins; but especially for thy slighting of Christ, for the shedding of his blood, the renting of his bowels: and if thou canst not come as well as thou shouldst, yet come as well as thou canst come to him, and make thy moan of thy unbelief and inability to come. 2. Come with this assured confidence, ●hat those that come unto him he will in to wise cast away; Ioh. 6. 37. and thou being come he will not cast thee away. Let us draw near with full assurance of Faith, having ●ur hearts sprinkled from an evil Consci●nce, Heb. 10. 11 and our bodies washed with pure water. 3. Come gladly and willingly glorifying the grace of God but abasing thy ●elf. Psal. 45. 15 Come with gladness that thou shalt ●e brought and enter into the King's pre●nce: receive not the grace of God as ● common thing, but thankfully, and with all thy heart: for the end why the Lord gives Christ to a man, is the glory ●f his Grace. Phil. 2. 30 If the Lord attain his end, he desires no more: For why should ●e when he hath his end? The only way and means to obtain pardon from God the Father, by his ●on Jesus Christ, is set down briefly by S. John thus: If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins. Make therefore a diligent search of ●hy heart, by the Law of God: arraign thyself in thine own thoughts before God, Supposing this were the day o● reckoning; rip up thy heart, and lay open all thy known sins without lesning them without excusing them, without hiding them, without taking upon thee to defend them: thus did David Psal: 51▪ 3. 4. thus did Ezra: 9 6. and then go on to give judgement to thyself, I say judge thyself, that thou be not judged▪ Thus did Daniel in the 9 and the 7▪ Thus did the prodigal, Luke: the 15 21. One thing is very observable in the Prodigals return to his Father; and that on the father's part: the Text saith▪ His Father went and met him: intimating unto us the goodness and infinit● mercy of God in the Lord Jesus Christ to humble and penitent sinners; that by hearty repentance come home unto him▪ He is very ready and willing to meet them, to embrace them in the arms of his mercy, to kill the fatted Calf, to provide delicates, heavenly delicates for his the bread of life, the food of immortality, ushered in with the most delightful music, Lu. 15, 10. for there is joy in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth. (That by the way.) When thou hast judged thyself, then earnestly beg of God pardon for Christ's sake, and never leave him off until he give this blessed answer to thy Conscience, that thy sins are pardoned. The unjust Judge by reason of the importunity of the widow, granted her request; Hos. 14. 3. how much more shall the just God grant the request of his, that pray day and night unto him? Thus did David, Dan. 9 18. 19 20. 21. Let thy good spirit lead me. &c. These things are necessary, Psal. 143. 10. if we would be saved: we must not be Cowards in a business of this nature, if we intend to win the field, but we must work our best endeavours, and still hold out wrestling with God, if we intend to win the Victory. Some Captives amongst men, are redeemed by price only, some by power without price; but such is the lamentable captivity of all men, under sin and the severity of God's Justice, that without the price of Christ's blood, and the power of his spirit, there is no deliverance from sin and misery: the Lord Jesus Christ having paid the full and absolute price of our deliverance. Ioh 8. 32. Yet it is with us as with a company of Captives in prison; Read Eph. 1. our sins like strong chains holds us, Satan our Keeper will not let us go: Ro. 11. 32 the Prison doors through unbelief are shut upon us, and thereby God and Christ are kept our from us: what power now can rescue us that are held fast unto such a power, even after the price is paid? The spirit of God speaketh of a power in Christ, Hose. 13. 9 Thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help. Acts. 5 31. As Christ hath redeemed us, so we must go unto him For strength and power, that we may make application of this Redemption to ourselves that by his spirit we may find the fruits of it on our own souls: and here consists our comfort, that as Christ was abased to purchase redemption for us, so now he is exalted at the right hand of God the Father, to apply this redemption unto us. Four causes of man's misery, joined with four acts of Christ's power. Man's misery, 1. The ignorance of his own misery. 2. Security and unsenceableness of it. 3. Carnal confidence in their own duties. 4. Presumption or resting upon the mercy of God, by a Faith of their own forging. Christ's Act, 1. Conviction of sin. 2. Compunction for sin. 3. Humiliation, or self-abasement. 4. Faith. These are the works of Christ on the soul. Isa. 43. 25 There must be an actual deliverance in man, Ezek. 36. 22 wrought by the efficacy and power of the spirit of Christ, as well as a purchased deliverance wrought by the blood of Christ: therefore until we can find the former wrought in us, we can lay no claim to the latter: until we can see sin in its own colours, with the several aggrevations thereof, and the wages of sin, which is eternal death, we cannot truly hate it, and not truly hating it, we cannot repent of it; and not repenting of it, we cannot with a true faith lay hold on the Lord Jesus Christ. show me thy Faith without thy work, saith S. James; Ia. 2. 18. and I will show thee my Faith by my works. He that repents and believes shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned. Thus you see where our rest and rock of comfort for salvation is: only in our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. You see the manner how we must come to Christ, so that we may be accepted: we must come loathing and abhorring ourselves, out of ourselves into Christ, come humbly, come willingly to Christ, as with all thy might and power, as to the only spring, fountain and head of comfort, of wisdom, of excellency; come even as the Bride to the Bridegroom, as the members to the Head, as the branches to the Vine: and let thy confidence when thou comest, inwardly persuade thee, that Those who come to him, he will in no wise cast away, for we have his promise for it. Behold, saith our Saviour I stand at the door and knock. &c. Let every believing Soul then say with Thomas, Ioh● 20 28 My Lord and my God. Objection may arise, Is God such a merciful God? and is Jesus Christ so willing to embrace us when we come unto him, and seek to him by those we 〈◊〉 which he hath appointed us in his Word? ●hen what is the reason that he hears ●t the Prayers of his People, that they ●t up unto him to be delivered from sin, ●om some particular sin, which it may is more predominant than any other; against hardness of heart? It may be thou art not humbled e●ough in thyself; Ans. thou dost not pray as ●ou oughtest to pray in Faith: or if thou ●st, God may for present not answer ●ee according to thy desire, for the try●● of thy Faith and Patience, to make ●ee the more earnest suitor unto him. ●oahs Dove returns not presently with 〈◊〉 Olive branch of Peace in his mouth: ●rayer sometimes that speeds well re●●rns not presently for want of compa●● enough to fetch away that abun●nce of mercy that God hath to give. the Lord ever gives them that ask in ●aith: their asking in money or moneys ●orth, God is long many times before ● gives, but pays them well for their ●aiting. Approve thyself to God in all thy ●aies, for he is an omniscient God: no ●atter what he world saith of thee: God is thy spy, taking notice of all actions, and they are in print in Hea●● which that great spectator and Ju●● will open at the great day. Fear the●●fore to sin in secret, unless thou canst a dark hole to sin where God cannot thee. Have a care of playing the Ath●● in practice, although thou be not so thy profession; to confess there is God, yet by thy works to deny hi● even if it were possible to unthrone ●●●sus Christ: they that pluck the 〈◊〉 from his throne are as bad or as vile they that say there is no King. But that we may the better understa●● how sin is remitted by Christ, and him, Consider that in him there 〈◊〉 three things, that makes Sin exceed 〈◊〉 sinful 1 The Crime of Sin. 2 The Guilt of Sin. 3 The Stain and blot or pollution Sin. The Crimes by which God is offen●ed. The Guilt by which we are liable punishment. The blot or stain which the 〈◊〉 ●ommitted leaveth in the offender. These three are taken away by the ●erits of Christ. 1 The Crime is taken away by his Obedience. 2 The Guilt is removed by his suffer●ngs. 3 The blot stain and corruption is hid●en by his holiness, and the very being ●hereof, daily diminished by the ●trength power and working of his Spi●t. If thou wouldst be saved, this must be ●●y Plea: I Lord have most grieviously ●●ned against thee, even in my best per●rmances; therefore I beseech thee for Christ his sake to pardon me: And not ●us, Behold this I have done, thus I have deserved, therefore I require thee ●f thy justice to reward me: for in the work of salvation all merit and desert ●f our own is absolutely excluded. How sweetly and contentedly may ●at soul repose itself that hath a testi●ony of his salvation by Jesus Christ ●at God is reconciled unto him in Christ, notwithstanding his many and ●rievous sins the root of corruption every corruption that lieth lurking in the heart of man. Now for the soul to feel such a change, such a regeneration wrought on the heart, after a true and serious repentance, and the embracements of a Saviour, the Lord Jesus in his arms ready to receive thee; what a transcendent unspeakable comfort is that soul partaker of! But that we may not flatter ourselves with the bare flashes, and as it were, shadows of comfort, taken from a wrong principle, let us consider, and that seriously, from whence our comforts do arise: Do they arise from an utter abhorring ourselves by reason of our pollution by nature? For until we be wounded, what need can we find of a medicine? Until we can find ourselves heartsick of sin, what need can we find to ourselves of a Physician? They that are whole need not a Physician, but they that are sick. Is Jesus Christ the chief desire of thy soul? Art thou willing to part with any thing for him, that having found this treasure, canst thou presently hide it in thy heart? Art thou willing to sell all that thou hast to purchase this Field, this Treasure, this Wisdom? Is thy heart affected with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? Dost thou eye Jesus Christ by faith? Dost thou see fullness of satisfaction in the merits, death, and passion of Christ? Dost thou feel by the power of Christ's spirit an application of all this to thy soul, that thou canst out of a settled assurance conclude these benefits and blessings belong to me? Then my soul, let thy temporal condition be what it will, as for this life, yet raise up thy affections higher; let thy heart be where thy treasure is, repose thyself upon Jesus, and take care of exempting thyself from those heavenly privileges which the blood of Jesus Christ is ready to pour down upon thee. These things well considered, are as so many sinews and joints to strengthen a weak and drooping faith; the Lord give me his spirit of grace, that I may not only write these Truths, but that by his strength they may be applied unto my soul. Thomas Ford. He that broke the heart of Manasseh and Paul after their blood and blasphemies, when they never desired any such thing, he can break thine much more, when thou desirest him to do it for thee. T. F. To my loving and esteemed Friend, Mr Henry Wright, one of the sergeants at Mace, within the City of Rochester. Loving Friend, I Present unto you a small quantity of Winter fruit, which hath fell from ●a Dry Branch: What my purpose is in presenting them, I trust of yourself you will conceive it to be no other but this, that they may remain with you as a testimony of mysetled purpose, never to forget your ancient Love: Pro: 18. 24: He that hath a friend, let him show himself friendly saith the Scripture. Accept therefore this little as from a new Graft upon a corrupt stock, and vouchsafe it some low room in your Meditations; and as you relish it, promote it; not for any worth in the Gift, but for the integrity of the Donor, who while he lives, will always pray, that after you and yours have served their time here, ye may be made freemen, and Free-women of the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen Nov. 30. 1656. Your loving and Well-wishing Friend, Thomas Ford, a Prisoner in the Prison of the City of Rochester called the dolphin. Certain Propositions which (in my Meditations) I have collected together (in this time which is lent me) out of the 14 chapter of Hosea, and the first verse. The words are these, Oh Israel, Return unto the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen by thine Iniquity. THe words are an exhortation, or a vehement persuasion (which the Spirit of God doth use by the Prophet) to return to God. The whole chapter containing a rousing or stirring up the people of Israel to repent of their iniquiries, and to return to God; whereunto are annexed gracious promises of God's mercies unto them, in healing their backslidings, and returning unto them: and you may observe what a mixture of repentance and mercy there is in the chapter: From whence in the general, we may observe the unseparableness of true repentance and mercy; they are linked together as in a chain, even as David and Jonathan, they will not part one from the other. In the words there are five particulars observed: 1. The seriousness of the Prophet's call, persuading our better attention, and as it were a necessity of lending an ear unto this Call, in the Vocative, O! 2. The persons called, Israel: By Israel is meant the people of God. 3. The Act or Duty called unto; Return. 4. The object matter of their return, or the person to whom they should, is, the Lord. 5. and lastly, The grounds and reasons of this their return, laid down in close of the words; For thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. From the words you may plainly gather several points or observations, to wit; 1. That the best and choicest of God's children may decline, and grievously fall from God, as Israel did. 2. That the ways of sin lead us directly from God. Or thus, That sin is an absolute turning the Back upon God; therefore Return. 3. That God the Father, through his Son the Lord Jesus Christ, is the only shelter and tower of refuge for a penitent sinner. Thy God. 4 And lastly, That it is and aught to be the main scope and aim of the Ambassadors and Ministers of Jesus Christ, to dissuade from sin, and persuade to repentance. O Israel, Return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquities. First, of the first in order, That the best and choicest of God's Saints and people may grievously decline and fall from God. For proof whereof, I need go no further than the subject we treat of, Israel; a name whereby God pleased to style his own people, his elect, his chosen people of Israel; Hos: 4. 6. my people, as he terms them. Nay God is pleased to term himself The King of Israel, isaiah. 44. 1. in Isa. 44. 6. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts: We know the prerogative of Kings is to rule over their Subjects, to have the command and government of their subjects, and we know what the duty of Subjects ought to be in yielding obedience to the commands of a King, and not to rule over their King; yet this revolting people Israel, this rebellious House, for so God calls them, notwithstanding his owning them for his people, and challenging a sovereignty over them, grievously sinned, and fell from God; For, thou hast fallen by thine Iniquity. Esa: 59: 2. Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. So to instance in divers other of the saints and people of God. David's Adultery and Murder, 2 Sam. 11. 4 to 18. Peter's Denial, Mark 14. 68 But what are the grounds and reasons that God's people fall from him by their iniquities? First, The principal and main ground may arise from Original sin, the filthiness and corruption of our own natures for we are in nature, as we came out o● the loins of our Parents, no better the● a very lump of rottenness and corruption. If thou shouldest see a man from the very crown of the head to the sole of hi● foot▪ Esa: 1. 6. had nothing in him but wound▪ and swellings, and sores full of corruption, he could not but seem a very loth●som creature unto thee: Yet know this● whosoever thou art, be thou never s● well descended, never so rich, wise, beautiful, &c. thy soul is through sin ● thousand times more odious and abominable before God: Psal. 77. 6. Think well on this▪ common with thine own heart about it▪ it will make thee abhor thyself in dus● and ashes with Job, Iob. 42. 6. and with Paul, coun● all things to be dung, Phi. 3. 8: that thou mightest win Christ. Reas. 2. That by this means man●● may see his own frailty and miserable condition by nature, and that seeing his wretched and lost estate in himself, he might be deeply humbled before God, that thereby he might rest in no performances of his own; for our best performances are full of sin and corruption. 〈◊〉 David was humbled to the purpose ●●er he was truly sensible of his sin, when ●athan the prophet reproved him; 2. Sam. 12. 13. I ●●ve sinned (saith he) against the Lord: ●eter wept bitterly after he denied his ●aster. Mar. 14. 72. Where the sense of sin, and the wrath 〈◊〉 God hath a deep impression upon the ●eart, there it will effect deep humiliati●n and hearty sorrow. David's sins were always before ●im, Psa. 51. 3. he could take no rest in Conscience, ●ntil he found God reconciled unto ●im; now where sin in the true sense of ●t hath this working on the Spirit, hap●y is that soul: But where on the con●rary there is sin committed in a high na●ure, yet notwithstanding the heart is not ●t all moved to compunction and humi●iation, but rather hardened: woeful, and 〈◊〉 desperate is the condition of that soul. Motives to move us to Humiliation. First may be from God's Command, ●O Israel return unto me; turn you from from your evil ways, For why will ye die O house of Israel? Repent and turn you from all your evil ways, so iniquity shall not be your ruin: there m●● be an universal turning from all sins, a● a turning to God with the whole hea●My son give me thy heart: Deu. 30. 2. It is Go● complaint against the children of Israe● after he had brought them out of the land of Egypt, into a land flowing wit● Milk and Honey, the joy of all Land▪ Then God said unto them, Obey 〈◊〉 voice, turn from the evil of your doing 〈◊〉 for I am the Lord your God: but the● rebelled against me and would not hear▪ Shall God call to us to come unto him▪ and shall we reject his call? Eze. 20. 8. shall ou● Saviour Jesus Christ beg of us to be reconciled unto him, to come unto him to take his yoke? his yoke is easy to those that will lie under it. Hath he promised to satiate the hungry soul? salvation to the repentant soul? doth he command us to come unto him and drink i● we thirst; not to sip but drink? and shall we reject this cup of Salvation? O let the mercies of God constrain us, and let his kindness draw us unto him. Another motive to persuade us to come, is the mercy's patience, and long sufferings of God with us for many years, it may be our whole life time, we ●●ve lived in sin, and added blood to all our sins the sin of murder and in grievous sins; ●●l God spareth us, to see whether we ●ll return unto him, and shall we yet 〈◊〉 revolting and drawing back from ●od; then considering the infinite mer●● of God, in providing the Lord Jesus ●hrist, to be our physician to cure our ●eakness and imperfections, by his per●●ct righteousness, and to accept of us in ●●d through him. Let these considera●●ons be as so many cords of love to ●aw us unto God by speedy repen●nce, and a present return unto God. If we did but consider the blessed e●●te of that soul that is at peace with ●od, and truly keep in our thoughts ●●●e uncertainty of this life, and certainty eternal life to the Godly, and death 〈◊〉 the unregenerate: certainly we could ●●t be so lazy in our journey to heaven; 〈◊〉 if reconciliation with God and eter●tie were not worth the looking after; ●t we should rather with that Disciple ●hom Jesus loved outrun Peter, and get ●rst to the ●epulchre. John. 20. 4. Let Jesus Christ ●ve the chief room, yea all the room in ●ur hearts. A Prince is at peace, and cease war against a Rebel, a Traitor, yet●● will not bring the Rebel before him, into his special favour; yet the Lord glory doth both towards us as enemy strangers, rebels, devils in our reconci●●ation with him. O the wonderful me●●cy of God in Jesus Christ, that he shou● be pacified wholly and throughly wi● thee. Out of Christ he is a consumin● fire; in Jesus Christ he is a nothing e● but Love: and though there may be f● therly frowns and chasetisements fro● him, though he may for a time hide h● face, shut out thy Prayers, defer to fulf● Promises; yet all these if thou art reco●ciled in Christ, Heb. 12, 8, 9 are out of pure love u● to thee: and thou shalt see it, and fe● it so in 〈…〉 end. Quest. 〈◊〉 how must we come Christ, that we may be accepted? Answ. 1. We must come humbl● stripped of all self performances and dutie● resting wholly upon Jesus Christ, as the only means of our redemption. 2. We must return unto him hearti● with our whole heart; not keeping part of our heart for sin, and give Chri●●●e other part; we must come unto him ●o be our King to rule us, as well as to ●ave us. In a word, we must come unto ●im as the Hart to the rivers of waters, ●s a Spouse to her beloved, with ferven●y of Love and zealous affections and ●rdency of spirit, being sick of love for him: so come unto him, as esteeming ourselves lost without him, as our rich●s, our only pearl of great price. 3. Be earnest in Prayer unto God, ●hat he would grant you his good spirit, that he would mollify you hard and ●tony heart, and give you a heart of ●lesh; pray continually, pray without ●easing, and pray in Faith, with a confidence that God hears your Prayers, and will in his good time answer them, not for thy sake, but for his son's sake. 4. Attend upon the means of Grace in the ministry of the word, which is the only way and means God hath appointed for begetting of Faith in us: and search the Scriptures, the Word of God, they ●are they that testify of me, saith our Saviour: and as you love your souls take care of disrespecting or slighting the Word of God, and laying it aside as a thing not worth the looking into, fo●● slighting of it you slight God himself you are the greatest enemies to you● selves in the world, in being ignorant o● the word of God, you are utterly disarmed against the temptations of Sata● when he assaults you. When we go to war against a potent Prince or person, we will not go without our arms, bu● in a posture of defence; I beseech you let us consider the strength and power of our adversaries we have to deal withal, the World, the Flesh and the Devil, three potent enemies, therefore labour to be well armed out of the Magazine, the word, the Word of God, which is for doctrine, reproof, instruction, &c. and then to your armour that you may be complete in the principal bag, the sword of the spirit of God: we know a soldier is nobody without his sword; no more are we spiritual soldiers without the sword of the spirit; for a man may read and hear all his lifetme, yet if the spirit of God go not along with him, in accompanying him in his reading and hearing it is all in vain, unless the sword of God's spirit cut asunder our corrupt hearts and affections, so as to understand the mystery of the word of God, as well as the history of it barely. The use of this doctrine should be for exhortation to all sorts of men and women in the world, to beware of sin, and to shun it as the greatest evil in the world, and more especially of those sins which draw away our hearts and affections; and likewise to consider the dangerous consequences of sin, and how dangerous a matter and thing it is to let lose our hearts and affections to Satan. Then it may serve for to admire the wonderful and unspeakable love of our heavenly Father in Christ, use 2 that he will accept of us upon our unfeigned return unto him by repentance that our pardon is already sued forth, if that we can by faith lay hold on it, and esteem of the favour (in some measure) according to the worth of it. It lets us see the miserable condition of them that claim no interest at all in this pardon. use 3 Of the comfort of those that can experimentally conclude (and by the spirit of God witnessing with their spirits) say, use 4 This pardon is sealed unto me, I shall have the benefit of it, tho notwithstanding my sins reach up unto heaven, and cry mightily for vengeance against me, yet my whole alliance and sole comfort and confidence is in the merits of Jesus Christ applied by faith, I shall find mercy, for he that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy, but he that hideth them, shall not prosper. I am one of them that confess my sins, and earnestly desire of God that he would break my stony and hard heart for them; and do without hypocrisy (if my heart deceive me not) unfeignedly resolve to forsake my sins; therefore I though the worst and greatest of sinners, shall accordingly find mercy. Tho. Ford. Collossians the 2. and the 6 verse. The words are these, As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. THe blessed Apostle Paul after Christ had awaked him from his sleep of security, Acts. 9 4. and unscaled the eyes of his understanding, vers. 18. which were before darkened with that mistiness which the Devil like a juggler cast before him, did immediately after the Holy Ghost had enlightened him, vers. 15. preach Christ, and so like a principal workman in Christ's Church, and as a chosen vessel to bear the name of Christ amongst the Gentiles, did with all vehemency and ardency of spirit and affection, endeavour to build up a spiritual Church to Jesus Christ; and in this Epistle to the Colossians (amongst the rest of his Epistles) he dischargeth his trust as a faithful Ambassador of Jesus Christ. The whole chapter is as it were a glass wherein we may see the fruit of Paul's M●nistery; the words being a persuasive part moved from a good priniple. For the better explanation of them, consider in them, First the gift received; Secondly, the congratulation thereof. 1. The gift received, Jesus Christ. 2. The congratulation of the Gift, walk in him. The words contain a serious exhortatation, and the reason thereof. The exhortation, Walk in Jesus Christ. The ground and reason thereof, For you have received him. As if the Apostle Paul should have said, you had Jesus Christ preached amongst you, by me and others of my brethren; you are not ignorant of that eternal weight of glory which Jesus Christ hath purchased for you; therefore walk not according to the rudiments of this world, but walk according to the rules of Jesus Christ, for this is all that Jesus Christ requireth of you, that you would manifest your love unto him, in walking obediently before him; If you love me keep my commandments: Ioh. 14. 15. so that the words are in themselves a Proposition, and do speak plainly thus much unto us. That the incomparable love of the Lord Jesus Christ declared unto us in the word, Doct. and laid open more abundantly in the ministry of the Gospel, should be a strong persuasion unto us to walk according to the rules of the Gospel. Or thus, That Christ's exceeding love unto us, in redeeming us from death and hell, should be a strong tie upon us to love Jesus Christ. Every one that hears me, cannot deny but must needs confess and acknowledge that the point is very reasonable, and (I may say) very seasonable in these apostatising days of ours; that Love deserves Love. Our Saviour speaks of a deserved love as a thing not to be looked on, not worth any reward: For if ye love them that love you, Mat. 5. 46. what thanks have ye? saith our Saviour, Do not even the Publicans the same? denoting unto us, that true love is of such an extensive nature that it showeth itself even to our enemies: this is perfect and true love: Vers. 48, Be ye therefore perfect, even as▪ your Father which is in Heaven is perfect. Now the greatness of Jesus Christ's love is shown in that he loved us when we were enemies unto him, strangers and aliens from the common wealth of Israel. And how did Christ love us? was his love an ordinary love? That Christ the Son of God, coequal with his Father, should become man; even the meanest of men (although by Joseph he was next heir to the Crown of David, yet he came in the very declining age of David's Kingdom, to show us that his Kingdom is not of this World, as he tells us▪ Ioh. 8. 25. My kingdom is not of this World,) and should suffer a cursed death on the cross, for our sins, that we might be delivered from eternal misery, and from his father's wrath, and overcome death for us: Will not these considerations work our hard hearts to an humble frame, and persuade us to love God and our Lord Jesus Christ again? Is not the love of Christ to be esteemed by us? in that he being the Son of God, humbled himself, to become a servant to men, to make us Sons and join-heirs with himself? and of the children of wrath to make us heir of ●●●vation? ●re●t is men's readiness, chiefly in 〈…〉 and giddy times, to gaze upon strange and uncouth sights, to run to see things that are rare▪ and are seldom seen; therefore now let me quicken your desire, to behold a thing without comparison, such a thing as we may with a kind of astonishment and amazedness admire, but the eloquence of no man alive is able fully and effectually to express: 1 Ioh. 3. 1 Behold, saith the Apostle, what love the Father hath shown unto us, that we should be called the Sons of God. Behold, the Son of God made man, to die for us, Gal. 4. 5. that we might be delivered from the slavery of Satan, and be made the adopted sons of God. I might insist upon this point not out of any hope I have to set out a benefit so inestimable: for the tongue of men and Angels cannot reach it: but as it were (as God said to Moses) to let you see the back parts of that perfect glory, Exod. 33. 23. which the dimness of our minds is not able to behold. Now that we may be the better sensible of Christ's love, let us consider how and in what manner the Lord Jesus Christ is pleased to reveal himself unto us in the Gospel: and that in three particulars. First, He uncovers and layeth open himself fully and manifestly in the Gospel: we have a whole Christ offered unto us; we have his offices, and the whole work of our redemption set down: Ioh. 5. 39 Search the Scriptures, for they are they that testify of me, saith our Saviour. We do in the Word of God as in a glass, behold the proportion of Jesus Christ, when we compare the Old and New Testament together; for indeed it concerns us, and it is most needful and necessary in this great work of our salvation (so that our faith may be the better grounded and confirmed) to note and observe the order and agreement of the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament: by this men's Christ himself endeavoured to settle his Disciples Faith: for the Text tells us that he began at Moses and the Prophets, and interpretted to them in all the Scriptures the things which were written of him. Luk 24. 27. We live in an age that men are so backward in following Christ's pattern herein, that they are grown contemners and despisers of the word of God, which plainly appears in that they divide the New Testament from the Old, making a separation of that which God hath joined together: they will (it may be) carry the New Testament in their pockets, I and in their pates too, yet sure I am it cannot be near their hearts, when they shall think themselves too wise to read the Old, or give entertainment to it upon which the Patriarchs and our forefathers of old built their Faith, and by the light of which they found the way to heaven. This was Paul's course for the establishment of his hearers, he disputed by the Scriptures; Act. 17. 2 he said no other things then that Moses and the Prophets did say should come: Act. 26. 22. These and the like sayings we read often that the sayings of the Prophets should be fulfiled; Mat. 26. 56. This is done that the Scriptures should be fulfiled: Mark. 14. 49. which argues the care and purpose the Spirit of God had to ground our Judgement upon the Scriptures, in so much that when we clearly behold those things fulfiled which are recorded in them, we should set the higher esteem on them; comfort ourselves in them, and strengthen our Faith by them Take now a view of Christ in the Scriptures, and see first how he is represented in Zacharïas' prophecy; Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, Luk. 1. 67, 68, 69. who hath visited and redeemed his people: There you have Christ termed the horn of our salvation; a Metaphor taken from beasts, wherein doth lie their chief strength and power, giving us to understand that our saviour Jesus Christ is of full and absolute sufficiency to accomplish the work of our redemption; for there is no other Name under heaven by which we can be saved; Act. 4. 12 But only in and through the Name and merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. Co. 1. 19 It hath pleased the Father that in him all fullness should dwell: would you see Christ promised? read the 28 of Esaiah 16. therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious Corner stone, a sure foundation. Psal. 118. 22. Matth. 21. 42. Acts 4. 11. 1 Pet. 5. 6, 7. isaiah. 11. 1. Would ye behold Christ's Nativity? read Luke 2. 7. 10, 11, 12. John 7. 42. Mich 5. 2. Would you behold his Passion? Esaiah 53, 7, 8, 9 Mat. 27, 35. would you see him Dead and Buried? read: Mat. 27. 50. 60. would you see his Resurrection? read the 28. Math. 6. John 20. 2. 15. 19 26. Would you see his ascension? read Acts 1. 9 Would you see him at the Right hand of his Father in heaven? read Hebrews 1. 3. Would you see him coming from heaven to Judge the quick and the dead? read Matthew 25. 31. Thus you see in the first place how fully the Lord Jesus Christ is set forth unto us in his word, in himself, which is the Word. Ioh▪ 1. 1, 2. Secondly, Christ doth very friendly persuade us to embrace him in the Scriptures, and that upon very good grounds and reasons: First, because he came purposely into the world to save us, Mat. 19 13. he was wounded for our transgressions, and broken for our iniquities, and with his stripes we are healed. Isa. 53. 5. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, Mat. 11. 28. and I will give you rest. Behold I stand at the door and knock, Rev. 3. 20 saith Christ, he hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, Gal. 3. 13 being made a curse for us. Oh every one that thirsteth, Isa. 55. 1. come unto the waters, and he that hath no money, come buy, &c. Secondly, Christ doth very friendly persuades us to be reconciled unto him, by his Ambassadors, which he sends amongst us, the Ministers and dispensers of his Word and Sacraments: the Ministers of Christ, 2 Cor. 5. 20. they are the Ambassadors of Jesus Christ, which bring his message unto his people; they do the work which they are employed in by their Master; and Christ is pleased to set men apart purposely for this service, as S. Paul speaks. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 1. 1. by the will of God &c. and as Christ doth set some apart for this service, so he furnisheth them with gifts suitable to the service: as for example, Zacharias is appointed to prophesy; the business is a weighty business, therefore he is filled with the Holy Ghost, Luk 1. 67 that he may be able to perform that great work. God employs Moses upon a service of great concernment; I will send thee to Pharaoh saith God: Exod. 3. 10. I my Lord? saith Moses, I am not eloquent: the Lord presently upon Moses seeing his own insufficiency: Exod. 4 12 I will be with thy mouth. Isaiah being in a vision in the presecne of God, and seeing the nature of the service unto which he was called; cryethout, woe is me, for I am undone? after his, one of the Seraphins touched his mouth with a Coal from the altar: Isa. 6. 5. which gave the prophet a full supply of grace: the same we see in Jeremiah, God ●alling him, he began to complain of his ●nsufficiency. Ier. 1. 6. O Lord behold I am a ●hild and cannot speak: well, the Lord ●ook away his fear in bestowing a com●etency of gifts upon him, vers. 9 I have put ●●y words in thy mouth. Christ set apart ●is Disciples for that office, and gave the Holy Ghost unto them, promi●ng to make them Fishers of men. So that you plainly see it hath been God's way, through the whole course of the Scripture, to furnish them which he did ●mploy, with gifts suitable for the service: ●ake care therefore I pray you, of sleight●ng the Ministers of God, or of the Am●assadge which they bring, for in con●emning them you contemn and despise God himself; for what contempt you ●hew to an Ambassador which represents the King's person, you show to the King himself. This is a Sin which our Land stands guilty of in a height nature: we are grown to such a heig●t of pride and insolency amongst us, that God's word and his Ministers are had in least estimation. A faithful Minister of God is no more countenanced than a thing of nothing, which plainly appears from our detaining from them their right and just due, even that which the law of God hath allotted and set apart for them: we have every Tradesman now, even meanest of the people, take upon them the high and great work of the ministry; fomenting and prating out their nonsense, to the great dishonnor of his word and ministry. No wise man will send a fool of an errand, who will set a fresh soldier over an army, or intrust a dumb man with an ambassage? it were an odious imputation to the wisest God to think him less careful in the business and discipline of his Church, than men are in their temporal affairs; yet these intruders these busybodies in God's business, go on with such boldness and impudence (and the rather because they are cherished and maintained) as not thinking that God will ever call them to an account or tax them with that heavy sentence Jeremiah 2. 21. I have not sent them yet they ran. Mat. 22. 12. Or with Friend, how camest thou hither? The Lord awaken such sleepy-headed intruders, that they may know what it is to meddle with the great things of the Law of God. Hos. 8. 12 Thirdly, Christ is pleased to make known himself unto us by the graces of his spirit, which he works in us; the spirit of God witnessing with our spirit, ●hat we are the sons of God: the spirit of God is the key which opens the Ca●enet of the Scriptures and present it unto us as the mystery of Godliness; men by nature are stone blind in the things of God, therefore until they be ●egenerated and new born by the spirit of God in the inward, Man, it is impossible they should discern the things of God, Ioh. 3. 6. that which is born of the flesh, ●s flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Man by nature of himself, hath nothing in him but corruption, I was born in iniquit● saith David, Psal. 51. 5. and sin was I conceived: we are all unpro●table servants, all the Children of di●●bedience, and the sons of wrath: Eph. 2. 2. 3. all 〈◊〉 imaginations of man's heart are 〈◊〉 evil, and that continually. Now eve●● regenerate man is by virtue of his ne● birth, Gen. 6. 5. a spiritual man, and the new bir●● is the gracious working of the spir●● therefore such are called spiritual me● the whole scociety of the regenerate a spiritual house: 1 Cor. 2. 15. the regenerate man said to be born after the spirit, 1 Pet. 2. 5 and to 〈◊〉 after the spirit of God, being the apli●● of those precious Promises written 〈◊〉 the Word of God, Rom. 8, 5 unto the Soul. Take care I beseech you of que●ching the spirit of God, or stifling 〈◊〉 motions of his good spirit within yo●▪ Thus you see the manner how Chri●● communicates himself unto us, 1 By his Word. 2 By his Ministers. 3 By his Spirit. Let us now proceed to the last clau●● of the doctrine, and let it serve for exhortation in the fear of God to exho●● and persuade us to walk according t● the rules of the Gospel, to have a more close communion with Jesus Christ then ever we had; do not reject so great salvation. Hath Jesus Christ purchased heaven for Believers? doth he continually knock at the door of our hearts for entrance, and shall we not let him in? Shall we still persist and go on in sin? in our drunkenness, profaneness, contempt of God's word, of his Ministers? certainly if we do, if we will take no warning, but go on in the ways of the wicked, we shall receive the reward of the wicked: Prov. 22 8. every man shall be judged according to his works: he that soweth righteousness shall receive a sure reward; we must use diligence and care in the way to heaven. Who more laborious than the Husbandman, that doth desire to reap the fruit of his sowing? Who ought to be more diligent than a Christian, who intends to reap the hoped for fruit of eternal happiness? we must not be loiterers in the way to Heaven, ways are for travellers, and not for gazers; therefore go on and see to your steps, let the word of God be your conductor and leader; estrange not yourselves from the word; let it precious unto you. And the good spirit of God help your infirmities, and assist you in your spiritual warfare, that you may like good soldiers, under the banner of Jesus Christ, fight the good fight of faith; so that you may attain the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls, Amen. The last Speech of Thomas Ford, being penned by himself, and delivered to me, John Plass, his own Brother by the Mother. GEntlemen and Friends, I am yet a living object of your pity, ere long my soul will be separated from my body by an untimely, yet a well-deserved death. Blood must be recompensed with blood, the Law of God commands it: the law of Man in subordination to God's Law, hath brought me to the period of execution. But that I may not mind my Barbarism, so as to swallow it down without chewing, give me leave to lay open the heart of the fact, with the chief incendiaries thereupon attending, and that only in two particulars. First, laying before you the person on whom I acted it, and the sudden deprivation of life in the action. The person upon whom I acted this bloody tragedy, it was not a stranger, but an acquaintance and friend, not a common acquaintance or friend, but a sister, an only sister, by flesh and blood; and I can show no reason could incite me to it, except it were for her over tender care and respect to me had, of which I am now truly sensible: other persuasions were nothing else but the jugglings and delusions of that old enemy of mankind Satan, who hath been a liar from the beginning. The second Scene in this cruel and bloody Tragedy, which much aggravates the fact, was the suddenness of the action, which robbed her of her life in a moment, without giving her any warning to prepare for heaven, so that as much as in me lay, I did deprive her temporal and eternal happiness, without God's great mercy. I might blaze this my cruelty with several other colours, but let these suffice to let you know the horridness of the crime. Gentlemen, you know how for a long time my conversation amongst you hath been very inconsistent to the gospel of Jesus Christ; I have played the Atheist in my practice, though not in my profession; I have acknowledged there is a God, but in my works I have denied him; and Atheism in practice is the worst sort of Atheism, I have been in the highest nature, a rebel, a traitor against the King of Kings, endeavouring to unthrone God by not yielding obedience to his commands, and he that plucks the King out of his throne is as bad or worse, than he that saith there is no King. Now that you may be the better sensible how I have idolised my profession, I will give you the Catalogue of sins which our Saviour gives you in the seventh of Mark, the 21, 22, 23. verses, for from within out of the heart of man proceeds evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemies, pride, foolishness: all these sins, have lain lurking, and been rooted in my heart originally, (being by nature the child of wrath) and have in some kind or other been put in execution, though not in the same manner literally, as they lie in the text, yet circumstantially as they may be considered and applied. But one main sin which is not here rehearsed, hath been my mother sin, to wit, drunkenness and excess, the abuse of God's creatures, this hath been the engine of this cruelty, and the door and inlet to all my misery. Beware of this Lion-like sin, lest it command you to do the same cruelty, give not the least entertainment to it, as a cup and away; for it is the greatest piece of witchcraft, that I know to betray the soul to the Devil. Thus I have given you a glimpse of my wounds, now let me show you my physician. But Gentlemen, I must not forget one sin which was almost slipped out of my memory, This inserted but really delivered. namely, the sin of uncleanness, I do not mean with a woman; Gentlemen, there is other uncleanness than that with a woman, and there be some young Gentlemen in company, that looks upon me, which are guilty of the same, and know what I mean. Then stooping to Mr. Rosewell he began upon the breach of Sabbath, saying; Gentlemen, I have lived a long time amongst you, and indeed frequented the Church, but in all my time never kept one sabbath to the Lord aright, as I ought to do, I beseech you Gentlemen to have a special care of keeping the Sabbath, and slight not the Ministers of God, who are his ambassadors: and truly I see apparently an imminent judgement hanging over the head of this Nation, upon the account of the Ministers disagreeing; for well may the sheep be scattered, and the flock come to destruction, when the shepherd's quarrel, and go together by the ears. Well, but now to my physician. It hath pleased the Father that in Jesus Christ all fullness should dwell, and if all fullness, than the fullness of power, to effect and bring to pass the work of our redemption; he is the horn, the strength of our salvation: Thus God the Father from all eternity foreseeing man's inability of standing, did provide a remedy for his fall▪ the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, to take our nature upon him, and to die a cursed death on the cross, that we might live eternally in heaven, and now he sits at the right hand of God, making intercession for us, that by a lively faith joined with contrition and mortification of the old man and sin in us, can lay hold of him, the right way to see the abundant mercy of God in Christ, is to see our own misery by reason of sin, how lost and undone we are without him. Behold what love the Father hath showed unto us that we should be called the Sons of God. Seemeth it, saith David, (being moved by the Courtiers to entertain the offer of Saul's daughter) a light thing to be the King's Son in law? and it is registered as a fruit of Moses faith, to prefer the rebuke of Christ before the title of the son of Pharaoh's daughter: between God and Saul what comparison? between the King of heaven, and the Daughter of Pharaoh what proportion? David might have been Son in law to Saul, yet not entitled to the Crown. Moses might have been the adopted Son of Pharaoh's daughter, yet but a subject still. Seemeth it a light matter to us to be called the Sons of God, or to be the Sons of God, which is all one: this Prerogative which we have by Christ's blood, makes us heirs every one, Not only sons, but heirs, joint heirs with Jesus Christ: we are all made Kings and Princes by ●im, all of us entitled to a Crown of ●lory, an eternal weight of glory, which ●s laid up for us in heaven, a most ●nestimable benefit, which the tongue of men and angels are not able to express. O let, I beseech you, the serious Considerations of God's mercies in Christ, constrein us from sinful courses; ●et the words of me (a dying man) work ●n your spirits, that you may speedily ●xamine your own hearts, how you ●●and affected to a Saviour that offers ●imself to be yours, ●●on condition you will leave your sins and turn unto him ●y repentance. Gentlemen, he were a desperate man ●●at being condemned to die would not ●ccept of the King's pardon, if it were ●ffered. Behold here is a pardon from the King of Kings, here Jesus Christ ●●ffereth his Blood, if we do not wilfully ●efufe it, in persisting and going on in a ●ourse of sin. Gentlemen, be persuaded I beseech you to make your title good to heaven; fo● temporal things we bend all might and main to make them sure, as in purchasing of Lands, settling of estates: what coun● selling and contriving is there? Gentlemen, it is an estate of immortality, which will not fade away, labour to get a fee● simple in this estate: get interest in Jesu● Christ, and let him be of inestimabl● value in your thoughts. Thus Gentlemen, I thought it a par● of my duty to ease my spirits to the world in hinting at particulars. I migh● have been abundantly more large; 〈◊〉 let this be enough to comfort my friend and acquaintance, and the rest of 〈◊〉 well wishers for eternity, that althoug● I am by an ign●●●inous death depriv●● of this temporal life, yet I have goo● assurance of eternal life, and that 〈◊〉 name is registered in heaven, of whic● blessedness I shall by and by have ● taste, and a full consummation at the da● of Judgement, when we shall all appe●● before the Judgement seat of Christ 〈◊〉 give up our accounts. And I beg 〈◊〉 God to afford you his Spirit of Grac● that you may be kept blameless un●● that day, and that you may be assured upon good grounds before you depart this world, that your names are written in heaven, and that you may say with the Apostle, blessed be God for this unspeakable gift. The two and thirtieth Psalm was intended to be sung, but not sung; himself being desirous to finish his course in this life. His PRAYER. O Lord our God, high and mighty King of kings, Lord of lords, the only Ruler of Princes, look down from heaven upon us miserable sinners, in and through the merits of the Lord Jesus, pluck us out of our sins and implant us into Jesus Christ; let us be living branches in that vine, living members of that head: remember these nations of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and in them the principal member thereof, govern thou him, whose right it is to be our governor, implant thy grace in his heart, let the kingdom, authority and power of Jesus Christ in the Gospel, be by him advanced; season his heart with wisdom from above, and defend him from his Enemies: remember the afflictions of Joseph, comfort thy people after thou hast afflicted them, and for the years wherein thou hast showed them tribulation, quench the fire of ●hine indignation, that is kindling amongst us, and consume us not for thy Name sake: show mercy unto Zion, build up the walls of Jerusalem, and love it still. Be with me now that am to die; Just, O Lord is it with thee to cast me into Hell, but here lieth my comfort, Jesus Christ will receive me ●nto his bosom, to whom, with thyself, and Comfortable Spirit, be praise and glory, dominion and majesty for ever. And in whose name and words I further call on thee, as my Saviour hath taught me to pray: Ou● Father which art in heaven, &c. Compared with the original Copies and examined by us, William Sandbrook. P. M. R. Margaret Roch● December the 24. 1656. At the funeral of Mr. Thomas Ford of Rochester. Micah, chap. 7. verse 8, 9 at Margaret's Rochester, By WILLIAM SANDBROOKE, P. M. R. MICAH 7, verse 8. Rejoice not against me, O mine Enemy, when I fall I shall rise, when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. V. 9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgement for me, he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. V. 7. Therefore I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of m● salvation, my God will hear me. SECT. I. The Preface. Brethren, YOu know and see, and I do believ● are sensible of what the occasion o● this sad meeting and assembly is. Time and opportunities of this nature, especially in so stupendious and astonishing a● instance we have in hand, must be mad● use of for our good; you all grant the person deceased is no way advantage● by this exercise. 1. Except we run to the Alylum o● Purgatory. 2. And fly to those rotten shifts o● Dirges and Requiems of Rome, which you all I believe know the Church of England, with all other professed Protestants, and the Reformed Orthodox Churches have justly exploded, 1. As the doctrine of Antichrist. 2. As a parcel of Heathenish abominations. Ergo, This the occasion. Now in the next place, let me also acquaint you with a paragraph more in this preface to my work. 2. The occasion of my being limited up to the text. It was I understand, his own request (that it coming often upon his thoughts) it might be the remembrance of him in his funeral obsequies, and might be to appear in this confidence upon the Churches hope, the Lord: rejoice not O mine enemy. I shall make no long furrows upon his back; it is sufficient what hath been already done, and now it is totally in vain for any assistance towards him, Except to rake up the ashes of so great a crime: therefore letting these things pass as well known to you already. Sect 2. The text itself. Wherein I'll not trouble you with dependence. The words are a distinct paragraph in themselves, and may be kept entire within their own limits, bounds, and confines: so according to my old method of for exposition of the text, take this. The sum. This is easily resolved in this issue. The sure stay, support and setleness of the Church, and by consequence of every believer, in their utmost desertions greatest declinings from God by transgression against, 1 The apprehension of Divine wrath sinking their spirits for ever. 2 The insolent insulting of adversaries. 1 They shall see. 2 God to be light to them. This being the sum of the whole text, take the Analysis of the 8 verse, for that is all: I can or will meddle with at this time. 1 The state of the Church and every believer in that condition she is fallen. 2 The success of this. The adversary's triumph and rejoice. 3 The state of recovery with a secret check to the malicious pride of insolent adversaries. Rejoice not. For the rest of the particulars my time nor ability of body, nor strong lungs to keep on in a strong career, in a long and vexing winded discourse, will not admit me, (therefore I'll be brief) if you expect it. 1 Pardon my inabilities I am aged. 2 Seek it where you know you may have it. These things supposed, let me now come seasonably to my last 4 Theorems. 1 The best of Churches; Saints, or persons, may fall deeply into gross transgressions. 2 The enemies to the Church and Saints have an aching tooth and obstinate spirit of insulting and vaporing over the Church and Saints, in their fallings, ●in this their sad and deep declining by transgression. 3 In this distress of falling, and the exultancy and proud insolency of opposition they shall arise again, and the glory of the Lord shall appear upon them in light. These are the Theorems which I must prosecute distinctly, therefore pray take this to be the first. 1. Theorem. Saints may fall into gross and very deep transgressions or sins against God. The demonstration of this Theorem is firm upon these principles. 1 The infinite and indeed unlimited liberty and authoritative power the infinite God hath over the creature, to do with it what he pleaseth. Ergo 1 To leave and desert when he will. Thence 2 To give them up to themselves. 2 The natural principles of the creature (being thus left without any limits or bounds to its own propensions) from preservation, Rom. 1. it must follow inevitablely that the springs or sluices of corruption must break forth. Ergo, Churches and Persons, nay Saints may rush into, and act in gross abominations. Hence then from these principles le● us wind up all into an argumentive form● Argument. 1 Where there is an independent liberty in any cause to sustain, or not to sustain a created being, in a just regularity to his own will. 2 And strong active principles in an eminent deviation from the eternal rule, there must be (and that unavoidably) a deflexion from that eternal rule. 1 But in the eternal God of Glory in Christ, there is this independent liberty by concession of schools and Fathers. 2 The creatures acting nothing by their own principles, but opposition to him and his rule and will. Ergo The creature may fall into the greatest relapses, grossest sins that ever any creature did. Thus I have twisted up my argument of reason into the form of a syllogism in mood and figure: and it being but reason which is dark, let me support faith with Scripture. And for this purpose I'll nominate but two places, which will strongly evince the conclusion itself. 2 Samuel chap. 11. chap. 12. Isaiah 63 17. These two places will join in issue to prove my conclusion against any the least opposition. We will a little examine both: In the 11 Chapter you find very desperate acts of David's. 1 His Adultery deflowering Uriah's wife, Vers. 4. Bethseba to bear a child. 2 Murder upon the person of Uriah, Vers. 15. by his special commission sent to Joab the general of his army. Now do but observe the several agravations, and concatinations of other sins linked together and centred in these two and then Judge. 1 Ingratitude to a faithful servant and officer in his battles. 2 His cursed hypocrisy, in carrying on his desperate design. Vers. 6. 1 Uriah must be sent for home, under pretence of favour, but in a real intention that he might be murdered, or hide David's shame. But this was but the briding of his design to the execution of murder upon so faithful a friend and servant: therefore he goes on. 2 Uriah must go home to his wife, Vers. 8. to hide David's shame, that the bastard might be made legitimate by Uriah, yet Uriah stands this attempt out, as unworthy of the spirit of a soldier, Vers. 9 especially a commanding soldier. Yet David in a depth of hypocrisy towards faithful Uriah, persists (with what brave resolutions and what firm principles Uriah baulked the motion the text clears,) and yet David hath another stratagem upon so faithful a servant to hide his own shame Uriah, 3 He must tarry but one day, Vers. 12▪ and on the morrow he shall go: to this Uriah condescends, and abode in Jerusalem that day. 4 David goes on with new stratagems to hide his sin, so adds sin to sin, under the pretence of doing him honour in an entertainment, Vers. 13 he makes him drunk, (cursed hypocrisy) hoping when he was drunk he would do any thing: and now after the transgressions of adultery, and these subtle devices to hide the shame. Next comes the tragedy of poor innocent Uriah's murder. All full of perfidious deceit and dissimulation in hypocrisy by David. 1 Joab the general must be sent unto, to put Uriah upon the forelorn hope, where the Skirmish was hottest, and this by commission from David, Vers. 15. that Uriah might die expressly. 2 Joab Obeys David's severe unjust and desperate command; and the issue is Uriah is slain. But it is not unworthy observation. David gives commission in his cool blood, and sedate resolutions, that Uriah being in the heat of battle, upon a desperate service, all his forces should retire and leave him naked, in the fury of the enemy (cursed treachery in david: yet David's sin in this passage goes on to a higher stretch than this; for if you observe the subsequent passage you will find. 3 Joab to be an obsequious knave, to do any thing that the king commands him against a faithful servant to Joab himself: Vers. 11. shall I and my Lord Joab? 1 To hide his sin and shame. 2 To accomplish his base lust with Bethseba. Joab sends an account to David, that according to David's command and directions given to him, Uriah is out of the way: these tidings being brought to David, he hath an other shift to his hypocrisy and cruel design. 4 The sword devoureth one as well as the other. Vers. Yet that he thought all things might be secure and hidden, he takes her home, and makes her his wife▪ Vers. ● Well this done, the thing did displease the Lord. Thus far of David's sin of murder and adultery against God. Having done thus far in the business, the detection of the horrid unparralled villainy in David's sins; the next business is to come in hand. 1 David's arraignment by Nathan the Prophet: now in this we may consider thus. 1 Nathan is sent to him by commission from the Lord, Chap. 12. the God of Glory, to convince him of his guilt of this his sin. 2. By a wile of a parable, states the question so that David confesseth plainly, he had sinned. 2. Nathan leaves him not in this sad condition, under guilt, but presently applies peace, the Lord hath put away thy sin, yet gives him a chastisement temporal: hence then. Persons under the apprehension of guilt, ought not to be left so: but promises of mercy ought after the detection of guilt to be applied. Now brethren the next business. Isaiah 63. 17. If you observe the connexion of the words, you will find the state of whole Churches under a sad state of dereliction: here in this verse we find not only 1 Outward transgressions, and those of a deep die, if you compare things with things. 2 Inward opposition, or an habitual frame of spirit: whence, 1 Outward transgressions did flow a hardened heart. 2 And the frame of the spirit corrupted. Out of all these my conclusions I will conclude. The Saints may be deserted and left to great transgressions, and a fearful frame of spirit. But we must go on to the other conclusions: but the time is almost past, and the time of the year unseasonable, And now brethren (since we have brought our business thus far,) let me infer these few practic corollaries. 1 Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall. 2 keep for the purpose vigilant eye over your own spirits. 3 pity those that are fallen, and walk in darkness and see no light. 4 Presume not upon examples: you know not whether David's restitution may be yours. This is from the second conclusion. Insultansy of spirit over distressed persons, and falling sinners is incident to man, especially enemies. Next take notice of this plain issue. 4 As presume not to act heinous transgressions. 5 So despair not under their burden. This is from the last proposition of the three, gathered from the text: and so these three propositions in the first paragraph are dispatched. Sect 3 The occasion of this business, and application, to the remembrance of the person diseased; and herein brevity becomes the time and season, ergo. Let me acquaint you with these few hints, which possibly you may hear more at large hereafter. The occasion I have told you already, and so need no further repetition. The persons condition is now in agitation. 1 His birth and education, with his parts and their improvements you all know, were to be highly approved of, 2 His conversation, and greatly prodigious act of sin, in so near a relation, is too well known, for me to trouble your memories or grieve your spirits a fresh, These things we grant to the most malevolent spirit, and contradicting spirit, we meet with; yet for his deportment in the time of his confinement sentence and execution, some things must be said. 1 These reverend Divines faithfully that dealt with him, and most in frequency in the time of his confinement, can give a more strict and severe account. When I had the opportunity to visit him, I found him in a sedate composure of spirit; I hope in the success of their endeavours, and upon account examined with other things implicitly two great questions resolved, 1 Conviction of guilt of so great a transgression, 2 Yet this was not all but tenderness of contrition for this and other facts. 3 A total relinquishing of any thing of humiliation or contrition for acceptation. 4 Only wrapped up himself in the arms of our Saviour Christ, as the only refuge, Upon this account I did what I did and ought to do. Let Momus carp, We will leave him to his own master, to him he stands, or falls, or suffers; only thus, it was his earnest desire to receive a sealing testimony from Christ in the ordinance, for his sealed confirmation of his interest in him, And in this case I● will do it again upon like occasion, when they that except are reduced to the like condition, upon his supposed qualification, let malevolent spirits say what they will. I say he died a Christian: the testimony of this shall appear to the shame of his calumniators in print from his own hand. I confess I have the original by me, but will conceal it yet. I am yet confident his grand Adversaries do not know what, 1 he found of the things of God in Christ. 3 Nor can so exactly compose a piece of a believers spirit, as he hath done, This you know to speak in business of this nature, unusual, yet seeing such pettish foolish impertinences added in by ignorance and malicious beggarly pride I thought fit to acquaint you with my resolutions. I'll justify it against opposition, let proud malice swell until it break. February. 20, 1656. Valete