Decorative linesTo every trulyChristian Reader.
Decorative lines
Thy Maker is thy Husband. Isa. 52.
Asit is in theEarthly, so it is in theHeavenly Marriageof a poorSinnerto hisMaker. There useth first to passe aprivatekindling of Love, and a privateconsentandpromise(which sometimes are long) before theopen solemnity, and thepublike professionof a Married Life together. This is my presentdesigne, (not to controvert the matters of publikeOrderandWorship, but) to present some poor Experiments of those Personallexcellenciesof each true beleevingsouleandspirit.
Isa. 40.
Prov. 21.
The HolySpirit(inIsaiah) tels us ofBallanceswherein the mostHighweighs theHillsandMountains: As also inSolomon, ofBallanceswherein hee weighs the verySpirits, even of men whose way is right in their owne eyes. And inJohn(14.) he commands us to try theSpirits, pretending to come fromChrist Jesus, whether they be ofGod, or no.
Great pretences to the holy Spirit of God.
There is not the grossestProtestantorPapist, but pretends to theSpiritofGod; yea that horridMonster Mahomet, blusht not to avouch that in theFormeof aDove, the holySpiritofGoddid whisper in hisearefromHeaven. Now blessed is thatSpirit,publikeorprivate, who is truly willing and joyfull to lye downe in theBallancesof theLordsweighings.
Hitherto tend theseExperimentsof personal Communion withGodin theSpirit of Holinesse,Rom.1. 3.
To counterfeit the holy Spirit dreadfull.
'Tis true, all publike and privateChristian Spirits, pretend theSpirit of Holinesse: yea, how great a part of theWorldpretend to beChristendome, theChristian world, that is, anointed with theSpiritofChrist Jesus? But was itDeathinMoses Ritesto counterfeit that ceremoniall and figurativeOintment,Exod. 30. what shall it be to counterfeit theSpiritofLifeandHolinessit self? What I beleeve therefore (asDavidandPaulonce spake) I freely speak: Yea, who can but speak (saithPeterandJohn) the Things they have seene and heard? I confesse I spake these first but in a privateLetterinAmerica, and thought not that thelightinEuropeshould have seen them: But a two-folddesirehath prevailed with me to expose theseTryallsto theTryingof all men.
1. The earnestdesireof someGodly Friends.
2. Mine ownedesireof sowing a little handfull ofspirituall seedwhile the shortMinuteof myseed-time(theopportunityof life) lasteth.
The least of the little ones of Christ Jesus ought to rejoyce.
My scope is to fill each trulyChristian soulewithtriumphingandrejoycing: I speakpeaceandjoyto the WeakestLambandChild(inChristianity) that is solow, soweake, solitle, sopoorin its owne eyes, that it sometimes saith, it hath noChrist, noSpirit, noFaith, noLove, no nor trueDesirein it selfe. To this poore weake one I speakpeaceandjoy, and say, thisspirituall povertyis blessed, and is the firststeporroundof that spirituallLadder,Mat. 5. Blessed are the poor inspirit, for theirs is theKingdomeofHeaven.
Secondly, I found joyfullAlarumsofEncouragementto thestrongto grow (asPeterexhorteth) in theGraceandKnowledgeof theLord Jesus.
Communion of Saints most sweet, and to be lamented after.
Tis true, thecommunionofSaintsissweetand joyfull,strongand powerfull, eternallygainfulland profitable; and holy and blessed is thatSpiritthat makes theSaints(who are theExcellentof the Earth) itsDelight, and after that blessed hour of theSaints unitinginone Heart,one Spirit,one Worship, let all that loveChrist Jesusmourne and lament, and breath and pant: And yet the weakest and the faintestLambthat comes but stealing in the Crowd to touch the hemb of theLord Jesushis garment, that is content to be esteemed aDog, and to wait forcrumsofmercyunder theTableof the Son ofGod: let them I say rejoyce also, for he that hath begun that blessed work by his owne free and eternallSpirit, will by the same his owne holyArme, gloriously finish it.
I end (Deare Christian) with theproposallof twoChristian knots, orRiddles, not unsuitable to these presentTimesandSpirits?
Two Christian Riddles, suiting these times and spirits.
First, Why is theHeartof aDavidhimself (Psa. 30.) more apt to decline fromGod, upon the Mountaine ofJoy,Deliverance,Victory,Prosperity, then in the darkValeof the shadow ofDeath,Persecution,Sicknesse,Adversity, &c.
Secondly, Why is it, sinceGodworketh freely in us todoeand towillof his owne good pleasure, that yet he is pleased to command us toworkout our owneSalvationwithFeareandTrembling? Let us all humbly beg theFinger(the Spirit) of the Lord to untie theseKnotsfor us.
I desire to be thine unfeighned inChrist Jesus,R. W.