A GAD OF STEEL, wrought and tempered for the Heart to defend it from being battered by Satan's temptation, and to give it a sharp and lasting edge in heavenly Consolation. SHOWING THAT Deus est optima possessio, God is the best possession. By HEN. WALKER, SS. Theolog: The Night is fare spent, and the Day is at hand, let us therefore cast away the deeds of Darkness, and let us put on the Armour of Light. Rom. 13. printer's or publisher's device HOMO ASPICIS VT VIWNT PELLICANI SANGVINE PULLI SIC CHRISTO EFFUSO SANGUINE VIVIS LONDON, Printed by B. A. and T. F. 1641. To the Reader. I Do here (kind Reader) present thee with a Gad of Steel, which though it be but small, may by well and often perusal be means to procure thee more happiness to thy Soul, than the richest Diadem in the world can procure to thy Body, it is Steel (as we say) to the back; Let therefore no hypocrite think to shroud himself under it; no, it cuts sin to the quick; and my desire and prayer to God is, that where it comes, it may cut it down; which to the glory of God, & salvation of his Elect, is the end of my endeavour; yet let me crave of thee, but this one request by the way; that is, that after thou hast read this Epistle before thou read the Book itself, thou pray to God for his holy spirit to go along with thee and lead thee in the perusal of it; for, Legere & non intelligere est negligere? And holy things are of such a heavenly property, that (though they fill sanctified hearts with unspeakable joy, yet) to peruse them with graceless carnal hearts, they savour not. But because my little Enchiridion itself is but a Gad of Steel? my Epistle (to be brief) shall be but a small turret to couple it and your hearts together unto GOD? So shall I rejoice and ever remain, Yours, in the Lord Christ. H. WALKER. A GAD OF STEEL wrought and tempered for the Heart to defend is from being battered by Satan's temptations, etc. IN every Society, truth and Peace is the only stay and means to keep them safe and maintain their happiness; For the accomplishment whereof is most requisite, the purchasing of gracious and faithful hearts to God: to whom having our hearts rightly bend to seek his glory, will best direct us in our Duties one to another; If we seek God truly, we cannot fail our Brethren; but if we have flouting, hollow, dissembling hearts to our Brethren, we cannot be sincere to God; And it is a sign of a gracious heart, to rejoice to see others endued with goodness, and brought nearer unto GOD: Rom. 1, 8, Thus was it with holy Paul, Rom 1.8. First (saith he) I thank my GOD, through JESUS CHRIST, for you all, because your Faith is published throughout the whole world. It is our duties to rejoice for the grace bestowed on others. In all the Churches of the world, the patterns and examples of the Saints and servants of God, should be in greater estimation with us, than all the pomp and glory of the world; Luke, 15. How did that Woman rejoice, Luke, 5. when she had found her lost groat, calling her neighbours and friends to rejoice with her: And surely it is our duty when we see one brought to Christ, by a nearer union or relation then before, we ought to rejoice, and to encourage such a one all we can, to pray for him, and not to deride him; but with David: Be glad to see him enter into God's house, calling us to come in and hear the word of the Lord, Psal. 122.1. Psal. 122.1. Yet alas! how lamentable are our times, wherein men care not for heavenly practices themselves, nor do but jest and taunt at such who labour that way; Many rejoice with their associates and acquaintance in the way to hell, but few there are who go hand in hand to heaven; but how lamentable and woeful is the end of that joy; that whereas we ought to rejoice in the Faith of our friends, yet many have not whereof to rejoice for their friends whom they most esteem, except their Drunkenness, Swearing, Cozening, Whoring, Gaming; alas, this doth but publish their Damnation, if they repent not; At this should we rejoice, to hear our brother or our friend, to say with the Prodigal, I will go to my Father. Oh, let us help them forward that go to GOD; But alas, what a lamentable thing is it to see how earnestly men will press their friends to drink till they be Drunk, to lie in their behalf, to go on in revenge, etc. And how seldom men press their friends to hearing God's word, to reading, to holy practices: Some are afraid of displeasing their friends, others are carnally tender over them, and would not have them so much mortified, not to set themselves too much upon so melancholy a work; thus many souls drop into hell. God is more worth than all the Kingdoms of the world; David knew, that having once got him to be his GOD, Psal. 32. that he should want nothing. Psal. 23. When a man (by Faith) can truly say to God; I am thine, and thou art mine, and Christ is glorified in me. joh. 17. joh. 17. This lays claim to salvation, this lays hold on the merits of Christ as a man's own, and assures him of the p●rdon of all his sins; Will a man spoil his own goods. Malac. 3.8. Malac. 3.8 And he that knows himself to be in God, knows himself to be safe from all evil and that nothing can take him out of God's hands, such a man will die before he will renounce God, and give himself over to a sinful course of life. But alas what misery is the Swearer in, he cannot say, God is my God; what misery is the Sabbath breaker in; God is ashamed to be called the God of such as pollute his holy Sabbath; so the drunkard, God will not own the drunkard, the Adulterer, the Idolater, Whoremonger, etc. Can these have any interest in Christ, can these that continue in their sins ever think to find the mercy of God, shall such ever think to be saved, and come to Heaven; no, no, If such men as these will be saved they must forsake these courses of life, they must become new men, and love God's word, and love the Church, and love the Saints, and servants of God, delight in his word, in his Ordinances, and in his Sabbaths to sanctify them; and then, Isay, 12 and never till then let them once dream of coming to Heaven, Isay, 12. For than shall they see their redemption, when they sanctify the name of the Lord, and fear the God of Israel, when they are no more disceived of their former sins, and come to the understanding of the Law of God; when they leave their lusting after sin, and learn the Doctrine of JESUS CHRIST, Isay, 29.23 Isay. 29.23. and 24. How lamentable then is the condition of many men amongst us, nay of the most part of the world, who are drawn away from God with those three inordinate appetites which St. john speaks of: The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life: These are like the three troops of Chaldeans, as St. Bernard compares them, St Bernard which drove away jobs cattles; oh that the eyes of the world were but open to see how many people those three drive into Hell daily; They draw them into Hell (as it were) upon featherbeds, the world passeth away, and is gone, and on a sudden, before they bethink themselves where they are, poor wretches the Devil comes & seizes upon them, and away he carries them into Hell; oh that men would think & beware of these things betimes, they would not then account of God's children as they do, no they would have a better esteem of them. Object. Object. Some it may be will say, oh but do not so many, and such great men do thus and thus, will you be wiser than they. Answ. An. Alas, alas; thou must not think to do as the world doth, if thou wilt be the Child of God, but thou must be transformed by the renewing of thy mind, that thou mayst prove what is that good, that acceptable, and perfect will of God, Rom, 12, 2 Rom. 12.2. What if many painted Iezabels have such a complexion, such eyes, such hairs, Non quos Deus fecit, sed quos Diabolus infecit, not such as God hath made, but such as the Devil hath transformed; what if they disguise themselves like harlots, thou that art a daughter of GOD must not do so; what if many cousin by false weights, and short tale, thou that art a Son of God must not do so, what if many drink till they be drunk, live in wantonness, profane the Sabbath, and walk in sin daily; yet if thou wilt be a Child of God thou must not do so; for these shall be damned if they repent not; the world shall be condemned. 1 Cor. 11.32. 1 Cor. 11.32. Oh, it is an heavy case to be damned: Do but consider in what a case an unrepentant sinner lies in at the point of death; suppose that now thou sawest him even giving his last gasp; God the Father will not give him one smile, but is full of displeasure against him; God the Son, giveth him sentence to departed from him, and will not spare him one drop of his Blood; God the Holy Ghost, leaves him a despairing Conscience; the Devils in hell flock about him, like Crows about carrion, ready to tear him to pieces, and death stands with his dart struck into his very heart, and the poor tormented wretch lies crying out, oh I am tormented, I am tormented, I am damned; oh what shall I do, I am damned for ever, I shall burn in the flames of Hell for ever; now consider, wouldst thou be in this man's case? oh then live not as such men live, for they that live as the wicked live, that is in sin, and are careless of God's worship; and regard not his word, nor his holy Ordinances, no marvel if they die despairing, and so are damned. Object. Object. Some may say, what then shall I do, I shall surely be damned, since I am a great sinner, a drunkard, a Sabboth-breaker, a Swearer, or the like. Answ. Answ. Luk. 8.11. Ephes. 2.8. Get faith in Christ whereby thou shalt receive remission of thy sins, Luke. 8.11. Ephes. 2.8. Object. Object. Oh, but how can I think to have my sins pardoned whilst my heart lusteth still after sin, and I cannot overcome my sins. Answ. Answ. Christ gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, Gal. 1.4. For by Christ we not only enjoy remission of sins to eternal life, but sanctification to a spiritual life, Ephes, 20 for by the spirit of God we are sealed to the day of Redemption, Eph. 1.20. Quest. Quest. How shall I do to lead my life so as it may please God, and my soul may be saved. Answ. Answ. According to Gods will revealed in his holy word, in which if we expect to profit we must fix our hearts on God; and daily call upon his name, for prayer is a mighty prevailing thing with Almighty God, where fervent and hearty prayer is put up to God, God cannot departed till he leave a blessing behind him, it binds the hands of God that he becomes a petitioner himself as he did to Moses; let me alone saith God. Oh gracious God: how great is thy mercy, oh how pitiful a God have we, to whom be praise and glory for ever. AMEN. A divine Prayer. a 1 Pet. 5▪ 10 O GOD of all Grace, who hast called us to thine Eternal glory by Christ jesus, b Psal. 10.17 Which dost prepare the Heart and cause thine Ear to hear, c 1 King. 8.28 Have respect to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, d Ezra, 9.6 I am ashamed and blush to life up mine eyes unto thee my God, for mine iniquities are increased over mine head, e Hosea. 14.2 But O Lord, I beseech thee take away all mine iniquities and receive me graciously, for jesus Christ his sake; f Rom. 3.25 Whom thou hast set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood; Lord g Ezek. 11.19 put a new Spirit within me, and take away the stony heart out of my flesh, h 1 Cor, 7, 17 And as thou hast called me, so endue me with grace to walk before thee; i 2 Thes, 3, 17 Establish me in every good word and work, k 2 Thes. 3, 1 Let thy Word have free course amongst us and thy Name be glorified, l 1 Tim, 2, 2 That all may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all Godliness and honesty; m Psal, 17, 8 I humbly beseech thee, make me dwell in safety under the shadow of thy wings, from this time forth for evermore. AMEN. FINIS.