A soveraign antidote against sinful errors, the epidemical plague of these latter dayes. Extracted out of divine records, the dispensatory of Christianity: for the prevention and cure of our spiritual distempers. By Claudius Gilbert, B.D. and minister of the Gospel at Limrick in Ireland.

Ʋse 2.

It should admonish all carnal and notional Christians, under the total Reign, or partial Remainder of Spiritual Errors and Revolts. What pity is it that such a choice Help so freely tendered should be so basely slighted and abused! Doth not this Point then justly Reprove.

1. Such as are under the total Reign of sin and Error, all sinners in grain? Is not your case very woful indeed, that wilfully abide in a Christless state, by still abiding in a sinful state? Sin is your plague and you know it not; Error Rules in you and you feel it not; why are you sensless in such a danger? Because sin is there in its Element. Your disease is a sleepy feaver, or a phrantick madness; else you would never slight Christs Physick no more then his Person. You feed upon ashes,* 1.1 a deceitful heart hath carried you aside that you cannot see the lye in your right hand.* 1.2 It may be you think you Re∣ject not Christ: why then do you reject his Terms, and prefer your own?* 1.3 Why do you stil love what he loaths, and loath what he loves? Why do you then continue stil in the love and trade of your darling sins, secret or gross? Why do you stil provide for your Lusts, and plead for them, covering of them, mincing the matter and returning still thereto as the dog and swine?* 1.4 Why do you stil then loath his Ordinances, his Word and Sabbath, his service and servants? Do you pretend Alle∣giance to him, and yet continue stil in Rebellion? Do you profess to own his marriage terms, and yet remain stil wed∣ded to the world, to your gain and will, to sensual pleasure and windy honour? Do you profess to believe in Christ, and yet will not do what he bids you, nor forbear what he forbids? This is to mock,* 1.5 not to honour Christ; he knows you not, that wilfully and constantly work iniquity in opinion,* 1.6 affecti∣on, or life.

2. Under the partial Remainders thereof will Regnerate Saints be found, though not all alike. The best therefore may justly be Reproved for their sinful estrangedness from Christ. Is not this the cause of so many Errors and Revolts, our not growing in that gracious Knowledge that would prove our Soveraign Antidote? Why do we study the Lord Christ so little and the world so much? Is not our ignorance and self-conceitedness, our sloth and neglect about this main thing, the great cause of our sad distempers? Factions and Fractions we justly bewail in every Relation. Most carry fire and fuel to the common Incendy to encrease it stil; few mind the wa∣ter of the Sanctuary for to quench the same. Do not the best find upon due search much of selfishness in all disputes and controversies? Do they not also find in their private affairs how much self is preferred before Christ? Should not this great evil humble our souls deeply, that we thus forsake the Fountain of living Waters,* 1.7 and dig unto our selves broken emp∣ty Cisterns that will hold no water? Is this our kindness to our dearest friend? Is this our Loyalty to our dread Soveraign? Is this our love to our selves and Neighbor, to despise thus the only way of cure? Be we ashamed of this vile neglect, that Christs Truth and Waies have suffered so much through our great folly. Are our experiences of so little worth, and our acquaintance with Christ so inconsiderable, that we slight all, and yield to every assault of temptation and corruption, draw∣ing us aside?

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esa. 44. 20
• * 1.2

  Object.
• * 1.3

  Answ.
• * 1.4

  2 Pet. 2. 22.
• * 1.5

  Mat. 7. 23.
• * 1.6

  Luke 13. 27.
• * 1.7

  Ier. 2. 13.