will shew it self at the Spring and so will the habits of Faith break forth into acts when the Sun of Righteousness shall shine forth and make it a pleasant spring to thy soul And thus much for this second particular The third Property of that Faith that accompanies Salvation is this It makes those things that are great and glorious in the worlds account to be very little and low in the eyes of a Believer Faith makes a Believer to Heb. 11. 9. live in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country it is nothing to live as a stranger in a strange Land but to live as a stranger in the Land of Promise this is the excellency and glory of Faith Faith will make a man set his feet where other men sets their hearts Faith looks with an eye of scorn and disdain upon the things of this world What sayes Faith are earthly treasures to the treasures of Matth 6. 19 20. Heaven what are stones to silver dross to gold darkness to light Hell to Heaven No more sayes Faith are all the treasures pleasures and delights of this world to the light of Psal 4. 6 7. thy countenance to the joy of thy spirit to the influences of thy grace I see nothing sayes David in this wide world onely thy Commandments are exceeding Heb. 11. 24 25 26. broad Faith makes David account his Crown nothing his treasures nothing his victories nothing his attendants nothing c. Faith will make a man write nothing upon the best of worldly things it will make a man trample upon the Pearls of this Phil. 3. 8. world as upon dross and dung Faith deadens a mans heart to the things of this world I am crucified to the world Gal. 6. and the world is crucified to me sayes Paul This world sayes Faith is not my house my habitation my home I 2 Cor 5. 1 2. look for a better Country for a better City for a better home He that is adopted Heir to a Crown a Kingdom looks with an eye of scorn and disdain upon every thing below a Kingdom below a Crown Faith tells the soul that it hath a Crown a Kingdom 2 Tim 4. 8. in reversion and this makes the soul to set light by the things of this world Faith raises and sets the soul high And hath raised us up together Ephes 2. 6. and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus saith the Apostle Faith makes a man live high our conversation Phil. 3. 20. is in Heaven and the higher any man lives the less the lower will the things of this world be in his eye The fancy of Lucian is very pleasant who placeth Charon on the top of an high Hill viewing all the affairs of men and looking on their greatest richest and most glorious Cities as little Birds Nests Faith sets the soul upon the Hill of God the Mountain of God that is A high Mountain and from thence Faith gives the soul a sight a prospect of all things here below And ah how like Birds Nests does all the riches braveries and glories of this world look and appear to them that Faith hath set upon Gods high Hill Faith having set Luther upon this high Hill he protests that God should not put him off with these poor low things Faith set Moses Heb. 11. high it set him among invisibles and that made him look upon all the treasures pleasures riches and glories of Egypt as little Birds-Nests as Mole-hills as dross and dung as things that were too little and too low for him to set his heart upon Verily when once Faith hath given a man a sight a prospect of Heaven all things on Earth will be looked upon as little and low And so much for this third Property of Faith The fourth Property of that Faith that accompanies Salvation is this It purifies the heart it is a heart-purifying Acts 15. 9. faith Purifying their hearts by faith Faith hath two hands one to lay hold on Christ and another to sweep the heart which is Christs house Faith knows that Christ is of a Dove-like nature he loves to lie clean and sweet Faith hath a neat Huswifes hand as well as an Eagles eye Faith is as good at purging out of sin as it is at discovering of sin There is a cleansing quality in Faith as well as a healing quality in Faith Sound faith will purge the soul from the love of sin from a delight in sin and from the Ezek. 16. reign and dominion of sin Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are Rom. 6. 14 21. not under the Law but under Grace Now Faith purges and cleanseth the heart from sin sometimes by pressing and putting God to make good the promises of Sanctification Faith takes that promise in Jere. 33. 8. And I will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will purifie them is an allusion to the purifications prescribed in the Law for the cleansing of polluted persons till which purifications were performed they could not be admitted into the Camp or Congregation c. cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me and that promise in Micah 7. 19. He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the bottom of the sea And that promise in Psal 65. 3. Iniquities prevail against me as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away And that promise in Isai 1. 25. And I will turn my hand upon thee and purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy Tin And spreads them before the Lord and will never leave urging and pressing seeking and suing till God makes them good Faith makes the soul divinely impudent divinely shameless Lord sayes Faith are not these thine own words hast thou said it and shall it not come to pass art thou no◠a faithful God is not thine honor engaged to make good the promises that thou hast made Arise O God and let my sins be scattered turn thy hand upon me and let my sins be purged And thus Faith purifies the heart Again sometimes Faith purifies the heart from sin by engaging against sin in Christs strength as David engaged against Goliah not in 1 Sam. 17. 45. his own strength but in the strength and name of the Lord of Hosts Faith leads the soul directly to God and engages God against sin so as that the combate by the wisdom of Faith is changed and made now rather between God and sin then between sin and the soul and so sin comes to fall before the power and glorious presence of God that is a choice word Psal 61. 2. From the ends of the earth will I cry to thee When my heart is over-whelmed lead me to the Rock that is higher then I. Look as a childe that is set upon by one that is stronger then he cryes
unto the glory and praise of God Thirdly It is exceeding useful to the Saints at all times but especially in changing times in times wherein every one cals out Watchman what of the night Watchman what of the night Isa 21. 11 12. and the watchman answereth the morning cometh and also the night Ah Joel 3. 16. Hag. 26. Isa 23. 9. Isa 63. 2 3. Christians the Lord is a shaking heaven and earth he is a staining the pride of all glory he is a staining his garments with the blood of his enemies he is renting and tearing he is burning and breaking he is pulling up and throwing down Now in Jerm 45. 4 5. the midst of all these Concussions and Revolutions thrice happy are those souls that have gained a wel-grounded Assurance of Caelestial Heb. 10. 34. things such souls will not faint sink nor shrink in an hour of temptation Rev. 3. 4. 14. 4. such souls will keep their garments pure and white and will follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes Assurance is a Beleevers Ark where he sits Noah-like quiet and still in the midst of all distractions Psal 23. 3 4. and destructions combustions and confusions Rev. 6. 12. ult They are doubly miserable that have neither Heaven nor Earth temporals nor eternals made sure to them in changing times The fourth ground of my presenting this Treatise to publick view is that little wel-grounded Assurance that is to be found among Christians most Christians living Every unsettled Christian is Magor missahib a terror to himself yea his life is a very hel fears and doubts are his chiefest companions and so he judges himself unfit and unworthy to live and yet he is afraid to die and verily this is the sad condition of most Christians between feares and hopes and hanging as it were between Heaven and Hell Sometimes they hope that their State is good at othertimes they fear that their state is bad Now they hope that all is well and that it shall go well with them for ever anon they fear that they shal perish by the hand of such or such a corruption or by the prevalency of such or such a temptation and so they are like a ship in a storme tost here and there c. Now that these weak soules may be strengthned that these unstable soules may be established that these disconsolate souls may be comforted c. I have presented this Tract to the world not doubting but that if the Lord shall draw out their spirits to a serious perusal of it they shall find through the blessing of Jehovah that it will contribute very much to their attaining of a full Assurance of their everlasting happiness and blessedness as also to the keeping and maintaining of that ful and blessed Assurance which that it may I shal follow it with my prayers Fifthly I have published this following Discours remembring that my life is Jam. 4. 14. Psal 39. 12. but a vanishing vapor and that the time of my sojourning in this world will be but short Mans life is so short that Austine doubteth whether to call it a dying life or a living death Mans life is but the shadow of smoke the dream of a shadow This present life is not vita sed via ad vitam Bernard life but a motion a journey towards life the life of a Christian is rather via then vita a step towards life then life Yet do I believe that that is not a death but life that joyns the dying man to Christ and that is not a life but death that separates the living man from Christ I know I shall not speak long to Friends Saints or Sinners therefore I was the more willing to take the opportunity of Preaching Heb. 11. 4. to you when I am dead As Abel by his faith he being dead yet speaketh So this Treatise may speak and live when I shall return to my long home and fall asleep Eccles 12. 5. Acts 7. 60. in the bosom of Christ Christ his Prophets and Apostles though they are now in Heaven yet by their Doctrines Examples and Writings they still Preach to the Saints on Earth Zisca desired his skin might serve the Bohemians in their Wars when his body could no more do it O that poor I that have been but a little serviceable to the Saints in my life might by this and my former weak Labors be much serviceable to them after my death Books may Preach when the Author cannot when the Author may not when the Author dares not yea and which is more when the Author iâ— not Sixthly To testifie my cordial love and affection to all the true lovers of Christ Phil. 4. 21. Col. 1. 4. 2 Thes 1. 3. Marcellinus a Heathen Historian taxeth the Christians of his time for their dissentions biting and devouring one another till they were even consumed one of another a sad thing that a Heathen should see such miscarriages among Christs followers and to let them know That they are all though under different forms precious in my eyes and very near and dear unto my heart I bless God I am and I desire more and more to be one with every one that is one with Christ I would fain have as free as large and as sweet a heart towards Saints as Christ hath For a Wolf to worry a Lamb is usual but for a Lamb to worry a Lamb is unnatural For Christs Lillies to be among Thorns is ordinary but for these Lillies to become Thorns to tear and fetch blood of one another is monstrous and strange Ah Christians can Turks and Pagans agree can Herod and Pilat agree can Moab and Ammon agree can Bears and Lyons can Wolves and Tygers agree yea which is more can a legion of Devils agree in one body and shall not the Saints whom one Heaven must hold at last agree Pancirollus Cap. 7. de Gâ—mmis tells us That the most precious Pearl the Romans had was called Unio O the union of the Saints is an unvaluable Pearl The Heathen man by the light of Nature could say That the thickest Wall of a City in Peace and the safest Rampire in War is Unity Verily all Saints are one in Christ all Saints partake of the same Spirit Promises Graces and Priviledges All Saints are Fellow-Members Fellow-Souldiers Fellow-Travellers Fellow Heirs Fellow-Sufferers and Fellow-Citizens and therefore I cannot I dare not but love them all and prize them all and to evidence it I have dedicated this Treatise to the service of all their Souls Seventhly and lastly To fence and fortifie the Souls of real serious Christians against those Brain-sick Notions and those Airy Speculations and imaginary Revelations and Enthusiastical fancies c. with which many are sadly deluded and deceived even to their eternal overthrow I had almost said Thus have I given you a brief account I had not thought to have prest into the Press had I
the day Dan. 3. 28 29 30. of their sufferings O the sight of so noble a spirit in the Saints cause others Dan. 6. 25 26 27. to admire God to lift up God to fall in love with God and to glorifie God for owning his people and for being a light to them in darkness a joy to them in sorrow and a pallace to them in a prison God is very sensible of the many praises and prayers that he should lose did he not cause his love and his glory to rest upon his people in suffering times There is Isa 48. 11 nothing that God is so tender of as he is of his glory and that his heart is so much set upon as his glory and therefore he will visit them in a prison Gen. 39. 20. ult and feast them in a dungeon and walk with them in a fiery furnace and shew kindness to them in a Lyons den that every one may shot and cry Dan 6. Grace Grace God loves to act in Zech 4. 7. such ways of Grace towards his suffering ones as may stop the mouths of their enemies and cause the hearts of his friends to rejoyce Fourthly Believing times are times Reas 4 wherein the Lord is graciously pleased to lift up the light of his countenance upon his people when his children are in the Exercise of Faith then the Lord is pleased to make known his goodness and to feal up to them everlasting happiness and blessedness Eph. 1. 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your Salvation In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise or In whom believing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Beza and Calvin ye were sealed that is As you were in the very Excrcise and Actings of Faith upon the Lord Jesus Christ the Spirit of the Lord made sure and sealed up to you your Adoption your Reconciliation your Pardon and everlasting Inheritance Him that honors Christ by believing by fresh and frequent actings of Faith upon him him will Christ certainly honor and secure by setting his seal and mark upon him and by assuring of him of a Kingdom that shakes not of riches that corrupt not and of glory that fades not Ah Christians you wrong two at once Christ and your own souls whilest you thus reason Lord give me first assurance and then I will believe in thee and rest upon thee whereas your great work is to believe and to hold on believing and acting of Faith on the Lord Jesus till you come to be assured and sealed up to the day of Redemption This is the surest and the shortest way to assurance That is a remarkable passage of the Apostle in Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shall fill you from signifies to be filled with joy and peace as the sails of a ship are fillâ—d with wind all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost The God of hope saith the Apostle shall fill you with all joy and peace in believing that is whilest you are in the Exercise and Actings of Faith the God of hope shall fill you with that joy that is unspeakable and full of glory and with that peace that passes understanding Faith is the Key that unlocks paradise and lets in a flood of joy into the soul Faith is an appropriating Grace it appropriates all to it self it looks upon God says with the Psalmist This God is my God for ever and Psal 63. 1. 48. 14. ever it looks upon Christ and says My beloved is mine and his desires are towards Can. 7. 10. me it looks upon the precious promises and says these precious promises are 2 Pet. 1. 4. mine it looks upon Heaven and says Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of 2 Tim 4 8. Righteousness and this fills the soul with joy peace Faith hath an influence upon other graces it is like a silver thred Tantum possumus quanium credimus that runs thorow a chain of Pearl it puts strength vivacity in to all other vertues it made Abraham to rejoyce and it made Noah sit still quiet in the midst of a deluge Faith is the first pin that moveth the soul it is the spring in the Watch that sets all the Golden Wheels of Love Joy Comfort and Peace a going Faith is a root of Grace from whence springs all the sweet flowers of joy peace Faith is like the Bee it will suck sweetness out of every flower it will extract light out of darkness comforts out of distresses mercies out of miseries wine out of Judg. 14. 14. water honey out of the rock and meat out of the eater 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Upon the Exercise of Faith their hearts are filled with joy with unspeakable joy with glorious joy Faith sees in Christ Plenitudo abundantiae There is in Christ not onely plenitudo vasis but plenitudo fontis the fulness of a vessel but the fulness of a fountain and this makes the heart of a Saint leap when he sees it by an eye of Faith and plenitudo redundantiae a fulness of abundance and a fulness of redundancy and this fills the heart with glorious joy Ah Christians believing believing is the ready way the safest way the sweetest way the shortest way the onely way to a wel-grounded assurance and to that unspeakable joy and peace that flows from it as the effect from the cause the fruit from the root the stream from the fountain There is such assurance and such joy that springs from the fresh and frequent actings of Faith that cannot be exprest that cannot be painted no man can paint the sweetness of the honey comb the sweetness of a clustre of Canaan the sweetness of paradise the fragrancy of the Rose of Sharon As the being of things cannot be painted and as sweetness of things cannot be painted no more can that assurance and joy that flows from believing be painted or expressed it is too great and too glorious for weak man Rom. 4. 18. to paint or set forth When Abraham believed in hope against hope and when in the face of all dangers and difficulties he put forth such noble and glorious acts of Faith as to conclude That the Lord would provide himself a Gen. 22. 8. Dominus providebit the Lord will provide was Maximilians pious Motto and should be every Saints Motto in straits and troubles Lamb for a burnt-offering and that in the Mount he would be seen God is so taken with the actings of his Faith and the effects of it that he swears by himself That in blessing he would bless him that is I will
is true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternal life 2 Pet. 1. 3. According as his Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue What this Knowledge is that accompanies Salvation I shall shew you anon Secondly Faith is another of those special things that accompanies Salvation 1 Thes 2. 13. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you Brethren Beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation thorow sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth 1 Pet. 1. 5. You Vide Parcus Esteum Gerhardum on the Text. who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation Vers 9. Receiving the end of your Faith even the salvation of your souls Heb. 10. 30. But we are not of them who draw back to perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul John 3 14 15 16. Mark 16. 16. Acts 16. 31. Rom. 10. 9. Isa 45. 22. Phil. 2. 8. Joh 11. 25 26. 1 John 5. 10. All â—hese and many more Scriptures speaks out the same truth This dâ—uble asseveration or protestation is used onely in matters of weâ—ght and unhappy are we â—hat we cannot believe without them And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life for God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Vers 36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life Chap. 5. 24. Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Chap. 6. 40. And this is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth he Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Vers 47. Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath everlasting life Thirdly Repentance is another of those choice things that accompanies salvation 2 Cor. 7. 10. For godly sorrow The very word repâ—nt was very displeasing to Luther till his conversion but afterward he took delight in the work Paehitens de peccato dolet de dolore gaudet Luth to sorrow for his sin and then rejoyce in his sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death Jere. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved Acts 11. 18. When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life Matth. 18. 3. And Jesus said verily I say unto you except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Fourthly Obedience is another of those precious things that accompanies salvation Heb. 5. 9. And being Vide B. Dewâ—h of Justification 17. c. 7. made perfect speaking of Christ he became the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him Psal 50. 23. whoso offereth praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I declare the Salvation of God Fifthly Love is another of those singular things that accompanies salvation Deus nihil corenat nisi dona sui August When God câ—ownâ—th us he doth but crown hâ—s own gifts in us 2 Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but unto them also that love his appearing James 2. 5. Hearken my beloved brethren haâ—h not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. It is written eie hath not seen nor eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him James 1. 12. Blessed is the man that indureth temptation for when The word Crown notes to us the perpetuity of that life the Apostle speaks of for a Crown hath neither beginning nor ending 2. It notes plenty the Crown fetches a compasse on every side 3. It notes dignity it notes majesty Eternal life is a coronation day It notes all joys all delights in a word it notes all good it notes all glory he is tryed he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Matth. 19. 28 29. And Jesus said unto them verily I say unto you that yee which have followed me in the regeneration When the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his glory yee shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel And every one that hath forsaken houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my name sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life The whole is as if Christ had said whosoever shall shew love to mee this way or that in one thing or another out of respect to my Name to my Honor mercy shall bee his portion here and glory shall bee his portion hereafter Sixthly Prayer is another of those sweet things that accompanies salvation Rom. 10. 10. 13. For with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved Act. 2. 21. And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved That is saith one hee shall be certainly sealed up to salvation Or as another saith he that hath this grace of Prayer it is an evident sign and assurance to him that he shall be saved Therefore to have grace to pray is a better and a greater mercy then to have gifts to prophesie Matth. 7. 22. Praying souls shall finde the gates of heaven open to them when prophecying souls shall find them shut against them Seventhly and lastly Perseverance is another of those prime things that accompanies salvation Matth. 10. 22. And yee shall be hated of all men for my name sake but he that indureth to the end the same shall be saved Chap. 24. 12 13. And because iniquity shal abound the love The same words you have in Mark 13. 13. of many shal wax cold but he that indureth unto the end the same shal be saved Rev. 2. 10. Fear none of
and out of every priviledge that he may give out the more sweetness to others Lâ—â—mod 〈◊〉 aâ—â—â—ed we therefore learn that we may touch is a Proverb among the Rabbins And I do therefore lay in and lay up saith the Socrates c. Heathen that I may draw forth a gain and lay out for the good of many This Heathen will rise in judgement against those that monopolize knowledge to themselves that imprison their light within their own brests least others should out-shine and darken them Synesius speaks of some who having Some such there be in these dayes a treasure of rare-abilities in themselves would as soon part with their hearts as with their conceptions Verily such men are far off from that knowledge that accompanies salvation 2 Cor. 6. 10. Gal 4. 19. for that knowledge will make a man willing to spend and be spent for the edification consolation and salvation of others Prov. 10. 21. The lips of the righteous feed many A third thing that attends and accompanies that knowledge that accompanies salvation is holy zeal courage Prov. 28. 1. and resolution for God Divine knowledge makes a man as bold as a Lyon Dan. 11. 32. And such as do wickedly against the Covenant shall be corrupt by flatteries but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits So Prov. 24. 5. A wise man is strong yea and a man of knowledge increaseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strength or he strengthneth might in strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the Hebrew Divine light makes a man full of mettle for God it makes the soul divinely fearless and divinely careless Josh 24. 15. Chuse you whom you will serve I and my houshold will serve the Lord. Come what will on it we will never change our Master nor quit his service Those The heavenly light and knowledge that the Prophets and Apostles had made them very zealous and couragious for their God in the face of all difficulties and deaths as might be shewn in very many Scriptures beams of light that shined in upon Chrysostome did so heat and warm his heart that he stoutly tells Eudoxia the Empress that for her covetousness she would be called a second Jezabel whereupon she sent him a threatning Message To which he returned this Answer go tell her Nil nisi peccatum timeo I fear nothing but sin A Prophetical man in the Ecclesiastical History went to the Pillars a little before an Earthquake and bad them stand fast for they should shortly be shaken Ah Christians there is an Earthquake a coming and therefore as you would stand fast as you would not have any Earthquakes to make your hearts quake get this zeal and courage that attends Divine knowledge and then you shall in the midst of all Earthquakes Psal 125. 1 2. be as Mount Zion that cannot be removed They that write the story of the Travels of the Apostles report That Simon Zelotes Preached here in England Ah England England Epiphanius saith that Eliah sucked fire our of his Mothers Brests there are very few such Eliahs in these days if ever thou needest some Zelotes it is now O how secure how dull how drowsie how sleepy in the midst of dangers art thou For this and other of thy abominations I desire my soul may weep in secret The fourth and last thing that attends Knowledge and Faith are Twins they live and lodge and act together they are two lovers that may be distinguished one from another but they cannot be separated one from another or accompanies that knowledge that accompanies salvation is Faith and confidence in God Psal 9. 10. They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee 2 Tim. 1. 12. For the which cause I also suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day I shall not inlarge upon this Branch because I shall speak at large concerning Faith in the next particular And thus I have shewed you from the Scriptures what that Knowledge is that accompanies Salvation Now the second thing I am to shew you is What that Faith is that accompanies Salvation I have formerly shewed you that Faith doth accompany salvation but now I shall shew you what Faith that is that doth accompany Salvation and that I shall do by Divine assistance thus First That Faith that accompanies Fides est interdum id quod credimus interdum id quo credimus Aug. Salvation that comprehends Salvation that will possess a man of Salvation is know first by the objects about which it is exercised and secondly by the properties of it First By the objects about which it is exercised Now the objects of Faith are these First The person of Christ is the Christ as Redeemer is the mediate object of Faith and God is the ultimate for we believe in God through Christ Rom 6. 11. 1 Pet. 1. 21. 2 Cor. 3. 4. object of Faith it is Christ in the Promises that Faith deals with The Promise is but the Shell Christ is the Kernel the Promise is but the Casket Christ is the Jewel in it the Promise is but the field Christ is the Treasure that is hid in that field the promise is a Ring of Gold and Christ is the Pearl in that Ring and upon this sparkling shining Pearl Faith delights Faiths Mâ—rto is Nolo benedictionem tuam sed te most to look Cant. 3. 4. It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and I would not let him go until I had brought him into my Mothers house and into the chamber of her that conceived me So in Cant. 7. 5. The King is held Not but that the Father is also the object of Believers faith Iohn 14. 1. Isa 63. 15 16. with many other Scriptures but Christ is the object held forth by the Father for our faith to close with in respect of our justification and salvation God is objectum ultimum fidei the ultimate or highest object of Faith and Christ objectum mediaeum the mediate object thereof in the Galleries Faith hath two hands and with both she layes earnest and fast hold on King Jesus Christs beauty and glory is very taking and drawing Faith cannot see it but it will lay hold on it Christ is the principal object about which Faith is exercised for the obtaining of Righteousness and Everlasting Happiness Acts 16. 30 31. And the Jailor said Sirs what must I do to be saved And they said believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Christ is in a world of Scriptures held forth to be the object about which Faith is most conversant and the more Faith is exercised upon the
person of Christ the more it buds and blossoms like Aarons Rod. Faith looks upon him as the express Image and Character of his Father Faith beholds him as the chiefest of ten thousand Faith sees him to be the most glorious object in all the World The second object that Faith is exercised about is the Righteousness of Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 9. I desire to be found in Christ not having my own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is thorow the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith Paul would not be found in a legal righteousness for he knew all his legal righteousness was but as filthy rags Isa 64. 6. all his legal righteousness sowed together would but make up a coat of patches a beggars coat that is good for nothing but to be cast away therefore he desired to be found in the righteousness of Christ by Faith he knew that Christs righteousness was a pure righteousness a spotless righteteousness a matchless righteousness a compleat righteousness a perfect Col. 2. 10. righteousness an absolute righteousness a glorious righteousness Faith loves to fix her eye upon that rich and royal Robe that blameless and spotless Cant. 4. 7. Revel 145. Ephes 5. 27. righteousness of Christ wherewith the soul stands gloriously cloathed before God as being all fair as being without spot or wrinkle in divine account O it is the actings of Faith upon this blessed object this glorious righteousness of Christ that makes a man familiar and bold with God that makes a man active and resolute for God that strengthens a man against temptations that supports a man under afflictions that makes a man long for the day of his dissolution that makes him prefer his Coffin above a Princes Crown the day of his death above the day of his birth that makes him triumph over Sin and Satan Hell and Wrath. Adams righteousness Rom. 3. 21. 10. 3. was but the righteousness of a Creature but the righteousness about which Faith is exercised is the righteousness 2 Cor. 5. 21. of a God Adams righteousness was The righteousness of Angels is but the righteousness of Creatures but the righteousness that the Saints are cloathed with is the very righteousness of God and in this respect the meanest Saint is more excellent and glorious then the most glorious Angel a mutable righteousness a righteousness that might be sinned away but the righteousness that a Believers Faith is exercised about is an Everlasting Righteousness a righteousness that cannot be sinned away Prov. 8. 18. vide Dan. 9. 24. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy City to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness and to seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy Psal 119. 142. Thy Righteousness is an Everlasting Righteousness and thy Law is the Truth The righteousness of Adam was a righteousness subject to shaking and we know that Satan did shake all his righteousness about his ears as I may say O but that glorious Righteousness about which Faith is conversant is an unshaken Righteousness a Righteousness that cannot be shaken Psal 36. 6. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains or rather as it is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God What more stable then a mountain The Hebrew useth to note excellent things by adding the name of God as Cedars of God Psal 80. 11. Rivers of God Psal 65. 10. Wrastlings of God Gen 30. 5. Harps of God Revel 15. 2. and what Mountain so stable as the Mountain of God The Mountains cannot be shaken no more can that glorious Righteousness of Christ about which a Believers faith is exercised Adams righteousness was a low righteousness a righteousness within his own reach and a righteousness within Satans reach it was not so high but Adam could lay his hand upon it as I may say it was not so high but Satan could reach to the top of it yea to the over-topping of it as we have all found by woful experience O but that righteousness that Faith is conversant about is a righteousness of such a height as that neither Satan nor the world can reach to it Psal 71. 15 16 19 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day For I know not the numbers thereof I will go in the strength of the Lord God I will make mention of thy righteousness even of thine onely Thy righteousness also O God is very high who hath done great things O God who is like unto thee This glorious Righteousness of Christ about which Faith is busied is called The Righteousness of Faith Rom. 3 28. because Faith apprehends it and applies it and feeds upon it and delights in it Rom. 4. 13. For the promise that he should be the Heir of the World was not to Abraham or to his Seed thorow the Law but thorow the Righteousness of Faith Chap. 9. 30. What shall we say then That the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained to righteousness even the righteousness which is of faith The Righteousness of Rom. 10. 6. But the righteousness which is of Faiâ—h i. e. Which is apprâ—hended by Faith c. Christ about which Faith is imployed is called The Righteousness of Faith because Faith puts on this Righteousness upon the Soul Faith wraps the soul up in this Righteousness of Christ and so justifieth it before God instrumentally The actings of Faith Mark Faith is onely the instrument it cannot be the substance of that righteousness as it were whereby we are justified and saved First Because it is imperfect Secondly The acts of Faith are transient Thirdly Then should man have something within him whereof to boast Fourthly faith is a part of inherent holiness Fifthly Then some men should be justified more and some less according to the different measures of Faith in them on this glorious Righteousness doth most strengthen the soul Isai 45. 24. Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and strength The actings of Faith on this blessed Righteousness doth most glad and rejoyce the soul Isa 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness The actings of Faith upon this compleat Righteousness of Christ renders souls just and righteous pure and holy in the account of God Rom. 10. 4. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Christ fulfils the Law for Believers and they by believing do fulfil the Law in him and so Christ by doing and they by believing in him that doth it do fulfil the Law and so are reputed fair and spotless
compleat and perfect before the Throne of God Faiths putting this righteousness on the soul brings down blessings upon the soul When Jacob had put on his elder Brothers Gen. 27. 15. garment he carried the blessing away The actings of Faith upon this Pearless Righteousness of Christ brings down the blessing of Peace and the Rom 5. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Acts 10. 43. blessing of Joy and the blessing of Remission of sins and in a word all other blessings that contributes to the making us blessed here and happy hereafter c. The third object that Faith is exercised about is the precious promises 2 Pet. 1. 4. Mark the whole Word of God is the object of Faith but the promises more especially are the prime object about which Faâ—â—h is most conversant which are a Christians Magna Charta As every precious stone hath an â—gregious vertue in it so hath every promise The promises are a precious Book every Leaf drops Myrrhe and Mercy and upon these precious promises precious Faith looks and lives From these Brests Faith sucks comfort and sweetness Psal 119. 49 50. Remember thy word that is thy promise unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me So in Psalm 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living Heb. 11. 13. These all died in faith or according to faith not having received the promises but having seen them a far off and were perswaded of them and embraced them or as the Greek hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Persevering in Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some think that it is an allusion to the custom of saluting one another by embracing or laying hold of each other saluted them by Faith they kissed the promises and kissed Christ in the promises and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the Earth It would be an endless thing to shew you how the faith of the Patriarks Prophets Apostles and other Saints have been acted and exercised upon promises of Sanctification upon promises of Justification upon promises of Salvation upon promises of Glorification upon promises of Protection upon promises for Direction upon promises for Supportation c. Look as the Lamp lives upon the Oyl and the Childe upon the Brests so doth Faith upon the promises For the further advantage and comfort of your souls in eyeing the promises let me give you these two sweet hints First In your looking upon the promises minde most eye most spiritual promises absolute promises viz. Those and such-like that you see in Jere. 32. 40 41. Ezek. 11. 19 20. the Margent These spiritual and absolute promises are of nearest and Ezek. 36. 25 26 27. I a 42. 1. Ezek 20. 41 42 43. Psal 91. 15. Isa 65. 24. Jere. 33. 3. Isa 32 15. Ezek 34 30 31. with many others of the like import greatest concernment to you these carry in them most of the heart of Christ the love of Christ the good will of Christ these are of greatest use to satisfie you and to settle you when you are wavering to support you when you are falling to reduce you when you are wandering to comfort you when you are fainting to counsel you when you are staggering c. Therefore make these your choicest and your chiefest companions especially when it is night within your souls when you are sensible of much sin and but a little grace of much corruption but of little consolation of much deadness but of little quickness of much hardness but of little tenderness of many fears and but a little Spiritual and absolute promises are the most precious Mines to inrich you in them you will finde he greatest Pearls of price Faith The Jews under the Law had more temporal promises then spiritual but we under the Gospel have far more spiritual promises then temporal therefore sit down at this fire and be warmed drink of these springs and be satisfied taste of these delicates and be cheered Let the eye of Faith be cast upon all the promises but fixt upon spiritual promises upon absolute promises they will have the greatest influence upon the heart to holiness and to prepare it for Everlasting happiness Look not onely upon some of the Haman took notice yea and would have his friends take notice of all his greatness honors and riches Esth 5. 10 11 12. And will not you stir up your hearts to see all those riches and pleasures that be in precious promises riches the Jewels the Pearls that be rwapped up in the promises but enlarge and expatiate your understandings to an effectual contemplation of all those riches and treasures that God hath laid up in the promises Cast not the eye of your Faith onely upon one beam of the Sun but endeavor to see all the beams of the Sun Look not upon one branch of the Tree of Life but upon every branch of that Tree look not upon one bunch of the Grapes of Canaan but look upon the whole Land As understanding Heirs when they come to read over their Evidences and Writings they will see what they have in Houses what in Goods what in Lands what in Money what in Jewels what at home what abroad They will not sit down and say Well we finde in our Evidences that such and such Land is ours and look no further no no they will look all over and take exact notice of every thing they will say We have so much Land and so much Money c. O beloved there is much Marrow and Fatness there is much Honey and sweetness much Grace and Glory wrapped up in the promises O press them and oppress them till you have got forth all the riches and sweetness that is in them Ah Christians did you this God would be more honored the promises more prized your Graces more strengthned your fears more abated your hearts more warmed and engaged and your lives more regulated and Satan more easily and frequently vanquished And so much for this third object about which Faith is exercised The fourth object and last that I shall mention that Faith is set and fixt upon is That Glory Blessedness and 2 Tim 4. 8. Faith antedates glory Life which God hath laid up for them that love him The things of eternity are the greatest things they are the most excellent things they are most excellent in their natures in their causes in their operations in their effects in their ends and upon these Faith looks and lives Faith Heb. 11. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Subsistance i. e. That which gives a substantial being to the things of eternal life Faith alters the Tensis it puts the Future into the Present Psal 60. 6. Heb. 12. 2. realizeth things it makes absent things present Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence
of things not seen Faith makes absent glory present absent riches present absent pleasures present absent favors present Faith brings an invisible God and sets him before the soul Moses by Faith saw him that was invisible Faith brings down the recompence of reward and sets it really though spiritually before the soul Faith sets Divine favor before the soul it sets peace it sets pardon of sin it sets the Righteousness of Christ it sets the Joy of Heaven it sets Salvation before the soul it makes all these things very near and obvious to the soul Faith is the evidence of things not seen Faith makes invisible things visible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Index or clear conviction by disputation absent things present things that are afar off to be very near unto the soul By convincing Demonstrations by Arguments and Reasons drawn from the Word as the Greek word signifies 2 Cor. 4. 17 18. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory while we look not at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To look with a diligent eye as men do at the mark whereat they shoot things which are seen but at the things which are not seen For the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Faith trades in invisible things in eternal things its eye is always upwards like the Fish called by Galen Urano Scopos that hath but one eye and yet looks continually up to Heaven Faith Heb 6. 19. Rom. 8. 18. Heb. 10. 34. Acts 7. 55 56. An adopted Heir to a Crown cannot but have his heart at Court his minde and thoughts will be upon his future glorious condition He will be still a creating Idea's and Images of it enters within the vail and fixes her eye upon those glorious things of eternity that are so many that they exceed number so great that they exceed measure so precious that they are above all estimation Sayes Faith the spangled Firmament is but the Footstool of my Fathers house and if the Foot-stool the outside be so glorious O how glorious is his Throne Verily in Heaven there is that life that cannot be expressed that light that cannot be comprehended that joy that cannot be fadomed that sweetness that cannot be dissipated that feast that cannot be consumed and upon these Pearls of glory I look and live sayes Faith And thus I have shewed you the choice and precious objects about which that Faith is exercised that accompanies Salvation I shall now in the next place shew you the Properties of that Faith that accompanies Salvation and they are these that follow The first Property of that Faith Quid est igitur fides Opinior fideliter hominem Christi creder◠i. e. Fidelem esse boc est fideliter Dei mandata servare saith one that accompanies Salvation is this It puts forth it self into vital operations it makes a man full of life and activity for God it will make a man diligent and venturous in the work and wayes of God Faith is a most active quality in it self and so it makes a Christian most active it is a doing thing and it makes the person doing Faith will not suffer the soul to be idle Faith is like the vertuous Woman in the last of the Proverbs who put her hand to every work who would suffer none of her Hand-maids to be idle Faith puts the soul upon grieving for Zach. 12. 10. sin upon combating with sin upon weeping over sin upon trembling at the occasions of sin upon resisting temptations that leads to sin upon fighting it out to the death with sin Faith puts a man upon walking with The eleventh of the Hebrews is a full proof of these things Gal. 2. 20. God upon waiting on God upon working for God upon wrastling with God upon bearing for God and upon parting with any thing for God Faith makes Religious duties to be easie to the soul to be delightful to the soul to be profitable to the soul Faith makes the soul to be serious and conscientious in doing to be careful faithful in doing to be delightful chearful in doing to be diligent and faithful in doing Jam. 2. 17. to the end Faith looks to precepts as well as to promises Psal 119. 66. Teach me good judgement and knowledge for I have believed thy Commandments That faith that is not a working faith is no faith that faith that is not a working faith is a dead faith that faith that is not a working faith is a deluding faith that faith that is not a working faith is a worthless faith that faith that is not a working faith will leave a man short of Heaven and happiness in the latter day Faith that accompanies Salvation is better at doing then at thinking at obeying then at disputing at walking then at talking Tit. 3. 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works Faith will make a man endeavor to be good yea to be best at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies to bend their wits and beat their brains to maintain good works every thing he undertakes It is not leaves but fruit not words but works that God expects and if we cross his expectation we frustrate our own Salvation we further our own condemnation Faith makes the soul Isa 65 24. Gen. 4 4. 1 Pet. 3. 11. Cant. 2. 14. Luther prefers the meanest work of a Country Christian or poor Maid above all the victories and triumphs of Alexander and of Julius Caesar Matth. 27. ult Isa 41. 10 11. Heb. 13 5 6. Ezek. 36. 26 27 c. much in doing abundant in working and that partly by perswading the soul that all its works all its duties and services shall be owned and accepted of God as in Isa 56. 7. Even them will I bring to my holy Mountain and make them joyful in my House of prayer Their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine Altar for mine House shall be called an House of prayer for all people Faith assures the soul that every prayer every sigh every groan every tear is accepted And this makes the soul pray much and sign much and mourn much Again Faith spreads the promises of Divine assistance before the soul O sayes Faith here O soul is assistance suitable to the work required And this makes a man work as for life it makes a man work and sweat and sweat and work Again Faith sets the Recompence the Reward before the soul O Heb. 11. 25 26. One good work of a Christian is more precious then Heaven and Earth saith Luther sayes Faith Look here soul here is a great reward for a little work here is great wages for weak and imperfect services here is an infinite reward
for a finite work Work yea work hard sayes Faith O believing soul for thy actions in passing pass not away every good work is a grain of Seed for eternal life There is a Resurrection Rev. 14. 13. of works as well as of persons and in that day wicked men shall see that it is not a vain thing to serve God they shall see the most doing souls to be the most shining souls to be most advanced and rewarded O the sight of this Crown of this Recompence makes souls to abound in the work of the Lord they knowing 1 Cor. 15. ult that their labor is not in vain in the Lord. Again Faith draws from Christs fulness it sucks vertue and strength John 1. 16. from Christs brests Faith looks upon Christ as a Head and so draws from him it looks upon Christ as a Husband and so draws from him it looks upon him as a Fountain and so draws from him it looks upon him as a Sea as an Ocean of goodness and Col. 1. 19. so draws from him it looks upon him as a Father and so draws from him it looks upon him as a Friend and so draws from him and this Divine power and strength sets the soul a working hard for God it makes the soul full of motion full of action In a word Faith is such a working Grace as sets all other graces a working Faith hath an influence upon every Grace it is like a silver thred that runs thorow a chain of Pearl it puts strength and vivacity into all other vertues Love touched by a hand of Faith flames forth hope fed at Faiths table grows strong and casts anckor within the vail Joy courage Acts 5. 16. Rom. 15. 13. and zeal being smiled upon by Faith is made invincible and unconquerable c. Look what Oyl is to the wheels what weights are to the clock what wings are to the bird what sails are Except it be winter with the soul to the ship that Faith is to all Religious duties and services And thus you see that that Faith that accompanies Salvation is a working faith a lively faith and not such a dead faith as most please and deceive themselves with for ever The second Property of that Faith that accompanies Salvation is this It is of a growing and increasing nature it is like the waters of the Sanctuary that rise higher and higher as Ezekiel speaks it is like a tender Plant that naturally grows higher and higher Matth. 13. 32. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm tree Psal 92. 12 13 14. Now the Palm tree never looseth his leaf or fruit saith pliny it is like a grain of Mustard-seed which though it be the least of all Seeds yet by a Divine power it grows up beyond all humane expectations Faith is imperfect as all other graces are but yet it grows and increases gradually Rom. 1. 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from Faith to faith As it is written The just shall live by Faith As a gracious soul is still a adding knowledge to knowledge love to love fear to fear zeal to zeal so he is a adding faith to faith A gracious soul knows That if he be rich in Faith he cannot be poor in other Graces he knows the growth of faith will be as the former and the latter rain to all other graces he knows that there is no way to out-grow his fears but by growing in Faith he knows that all the pleasant fruits of paradise viz. Joy comfort and peace flourishes as faith flourishes he knows that he hath much work An old man being once asked If he grew in grace answered Yea doubtless I believe I do for God hath said in his Word that we shall flourish and bring forth fruit in old age Ille non est bonus qui non vult esse melior upon his hands that he hath many things to do many temptations to withstand many mercies to improve many burdens to bear many corruptions to conquer many duties to perform And this makes the believing soul thus to reason with God Ah Lord whatever I am weak in let me be strong in Faith whatever dies let Faith live whatever decayes let Faith flourish Lord let me be low in repute low in parts low in estate so thou wilt make me high in Faith Lord let me be poor in any thing poor in every thing so thou wilt but make me rich in Faith Lord let the eye of Faith be more opened let the eye of Faith be more quick-sighted let the eye of Faith be the more raised and it shall be enough to me though Joseph 2 Thâ—s 1. 3. That is but a Wooden leg that grows not no more is that any more but a Wooden faith a counterfeit faith that grows not be not though Benjamin be not It was the glory of the Thessalonians that their faith growed exceedingly A growth in Faith will render a man glorious in life lovely in death and twice blessed in the morning of the Resurrection so will not a growth in honors a growth in riches a growth in notions a growth in opinions That Faith that accompanies Salvation The union between Christ and the Saints is the nearest and the highest union and so it advantages their graces and advances them to a higher degree of happiness then any other Creatures whatsoever John 17. Christ would have his people one with him and the Father though noâ— essentially nor personally yet really and spiritually unites the soul to Christ and keeps the soul up in communion with Christ And from that union and communion that the soul hath with Christ flows such a Divine power and vertue that causes Faith to grow Yet that no weak Believers may be stumbled or sadded Let them remember First That though that Faith that accompanies Salvation be a growing faith yet there are some certain seasons and cases wherein a man may decay in his faith and wherein he may not have the exercise and the actings of his faith This blessed Babe of Grace may be cast into a deep slumber this Heavenly Pearl may be so buried under the thick clay of this world and under the ashes of corruption and temptation as that for a time it may neither stir nor grow as might be shewn in Abraham David Solomon Peter and others Secondly Remember this That the strongest faith at times is subject to shakings as the strongest men are to faintings as the stoutest ships are to tossings as the wisest men are to doubtings as the brightest stars are to twinklings c. Therefore if at certain times thou shouldst not be sensible of the growth of thy faith yet do not conclude that thou hast no faith Faith may be in the habit when it is not in the act there may be life in the root of the Tree when there is neither leaves blossoms nor fruit upon the Tree the life that is in the root
himself in his own tears let me give this Caution viz. That there is nothing beyond remedy but the tears of the damned A man who may persist in the way to Paradise should not place himself in the condition of a little Hell and he that may or can hope for that great all ought not to be dejected nor overwhelmed for any thing 4. That Repentance that accompanies Salvation doth include not onely contrition for sin but also a holy shame and blushing for sin Ezra 9. 6. Jer. 3. 24 25. 31. 19. Ezek. 16. 61 63. And thou shalt be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bosh to blush to be abashed to wax pale and wan c. Quantum displicet Deo immundiâ—ia peccati in tantum placet Deo erubiscentia paenitentis Ber. the Lord God When the Penitent Soul sees his sins pardoned the anger of God pacified and Divine Justice satisfied then he sits down ashamed So in Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed Sin and shame are inseparable companions So much the more God hath been diâ—pleased with the blackness of sin the more will he be well pleased with â—he blushing of the sinner A man cannot have the seeming sweet of sin but he shall have the real shame that accompanies sin These two God hath joyned together and all the world cannot put them asunder It was an impenitent Caligula that said of himself that he loved nothing better in himself then that he could not be ashamed Justinus Motto was Quod pudet hoc pigeat that should grieve most which is shameful in it self and done against conscience And doubtless those things are onely shameful that are sinful A soul that hath sinned away all shame is a soul ripe for Hell and given up to Satan A greater plague cannot befal a man in this life then to sin and not to blush Fifthly That Repentance that accompanies Salvation comprehends loathing and abhorring of sin and of Vis magnus esse incipe ab imo Wilt thou be great begin from below saith one It is very observable that those brave Creatures the Eâ—gle and the Lyon were not offered in sacrifice unto God but the poor Lamb and Dove to note That God regards not your brave high lofty spirits but poor meek and contemptible spirits our selves for sin as well as shame and blushing for sin Job 42. 6. Ezek. 16. 61 62 63. Amos 5. 15. Ezek. 20. 41 42 43. And ye shall remember your ways and all your doings wherein ye have been defiled and ye shall loath your selves in your own sight for â—all the evils that you have committed The sincere penitent loaths his sins and he loaths himself also because of his sins He crys out O these wanton eies O these wicked hands O this deceiptful tongue O this crooked will O this corrupt heart O how do I loath my sins how do I loath my self how do I loath sinful-self and how do I loath my natural-self because of sinful-self My sins are a burden to me and they make me a burden to my self my sins are an abhorring to me and they make me abhor my self in dust and ashes A true Penitent hath not onely low thoughts of himself but loathsome thoughts of himself none can think or speak so vilely of him as he doth and will think and speak of himself Ezek. 6. 9. And they that escape of you shall remember me among the Nations whither they shall be carried captives because I am broken with their whorish heart as the heart of a Husband is at the adulterous carriage of his wife which hath departed from me and with their eyes which go a whoring after their Idols and they shall loath themselves for evils which they have committed in all their abominations If thy Repentance do not work thee out with Some people can shed tears for nothing some for any thing but a sound penitent sheds more tears for his sins then he doth for his sufferings thy sins and thy sins work thee out of love with thy self thy Repentance is not that Repentance that accompanies Salvation And thus you see the particular things that that Repentance that doth accompany Salvation doth comprehend and include Sixthly That Repentance that accompanies Salvation hath these choice companions attending of it First Faith Zach. 12. 10 11. They shall look upon him whom they have pierced and mourn c. Mourning and beleeving go together So in Matth. 4. 17. Mark 1. 14 15. Now after that John was put in prison Jesus came into Galilee Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God And saying The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and believe the Gospel Secondly Love to Christ doth always accompany that Repentance that accompanies Salvation as you may see in Mary Magdalen in that seventh of Luke Thirdly A filial fear of offending God and a holy care to honor God doth always accompanie that Repentance that accompanies Salvation 2 Cor. 7. 11. For godly sorrow worketh Repentance to Salvation Repentance is post naufragium tabula the fair daughter of a foul mother Repentance is a fruitful Womb. not to be repented of for behold this self same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge In all things ye have approved your selves to be clear in this matter Verily Repentance to life hath all these lively companions attending of it they are born together and will live together till the penitent soul changes Earth for Heaven Grace for Glory Seventhly and lastly That Repentance that accompanies Salvation is a continued act a Repentance never to be 2 Cor. 7. 10. repented of Repentance is a continual spring where the waters of godly sorrow are alwayes flowing A sound Penitent is still a turning nearer and nearer to God he is still a turning further and further from sin This makes the Penitent Soul to sigh and Rom. 7. mourn that he can get no nearer to God that he can get no further from sin The work of Repentance is not the work of an hour a day a yeer but the work of this life A sincere Penitent makes as much conscience of repenting Quid restat ò peccator nisi ut in tota vita tua deplores totam vitam tuam Anselmus O then what then remains but in our whole life to lament the sins of our whole life daily as he doth of believing daily and he can as easily content himself with one act of Faith or Love or Joy as he can content himself with one act of Repentance My sins are ever before me sayes David Next to my being kept from sin I count
acceptable to God as they are tendered to him by a hand of Faith Augustus when a poor man came to present a Petition to him with his hand shaking and trembling out of fear the Emperor was much displeased and said It is not fit that any should come with a Petition to a King as if a man were giving meat to an Elephant that is afraid to be destroyed by him Verily Iehovah loves to see every one of his Petitioners to come to him with a stedfast Faith and not with a trembling Hand Christ gets most glory and the Soul gets most good by those Prayers that are accompanied with the actings of Faith Thirdly To pray in a right manner is to pray intensly servently earnestly So Jam. 5. 16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith is an omniporent grace it works wonders in Heaven in the Heart and in Earth Such working-prayer as sets all the faculties of the soul and all the graces in the soul at work alwayes speeds it fails not of winning the day of carrying the Crown or as the Greek hath it The working Prayer that is such Prayer as sets the whole man a work the word signifies such a working as notes the liveliest activity that can be As Physick kills the body if it work not so doth Prayer the soul if it be not a working-prayer As a painted fire is no fire a dead man no man so a cold prayer is no prayer In a painted fire there is no heat in a dead man there is no life so in a cold prayer there is no omnipotency no devotion no blessing It is not cold but working-prayer that can lock up Heaven three years and open Heavens gate at pleasure and bring down the sweetest blessings upon our heads and the choicest favors into our hearts Cold Prayers are as Arrows without heads as Swords without edges as Birds without wings they peirce not they cut not they flie not up to Heaven Cold Prayers do always freeze before they reach to Heaven So Jacob was earnest in his wrestling with God Let Gen. 32. 24 25 26 27. me alone sayes God I will not let thee go except thou bless me sayes Jacob. Jacob though lamed and hard laid at will not let the Lord go without a blessing Jacob holds with his hands when his joynts were out of joynt and so as a Prince prevails with God Jacob prayes and weeps and weeps The Jews have a saying That since the destruction of Jerusalem the door of prayers hath been shut But the door of tears was never shut saith One. and prayes and so prevails with God Hos 12. 4. Yea he had power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication unto him c. It is not the labor of the lips but the travel of the heart it is not the pouring forth a flood of words but the pouring out of the soul that makes a man a Prince a prevailer with God A man that would gain victory over God in Prayer must strain every string of his heart he Rom 15. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies to strive to the shedding of blood Luke 18. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Buffet me or beat me down with her blows as wrestlers beat down their adveâ—saries with their fists or clubs must in beseeching God besiedge him and so get the better of him he must strive in Prayer even to an agony he must be like importunate beggars that will not be put off with frowns or silence or sad answers Those that would be masters of their requests must with the importunate Widow press God so far as to put him to the blush they must with a holy impudence as Basil speaks make God ashamed to look them in the face if he should deny the importunity of their souls An importunate soul will never cease till he speed he will devour all discouragements yea he will turn discouragements into incouragements as the woman of Canaan did till Christ sayes Be it unto thee O Soul as thou wilt As a body without a soul much wood without fire a bullet in a gun without powder so are words in Prayer Oratio brevis penetrat câ—lum saith one without fervency of Spirit The hotest Springs send forth their waters by ebullitions I have read of one who being sensible of his own dulness and coldness in Prayer chid himself thus What The Jews write upon the walls of their Synagogues this sentence That Prayer without the intention of the minde is but as a body without a soul You know how to apply it doest thou think that Ionah prayed thus when he was in the belly of Hell or Daniel when he was in the Lyons den or the Thief when he was upon the cross And I may adde or the three Children when they were in the fiery furnace or the Apostles when they were in bonds and prisons O that Christians would chide themselves out of their cold Prayers and chide themselves into a better and a warmer frame of spirit when they make their Supplications before the Jerom speaks of certain holy women in his time That they seemed in their fervent affections to joyn with the holy company of Heaven Lord. An importunate Soul in Prayer is like the poor begger that prayes and knocks that prayes and waits that prayes and works that knocks and knits that begs and patches and will not stir from the door till he hath an alms And verily he that is good at this will not be long a begger in grace God will make his heart and his cup to overflow Fourthly To pray in a right manner is To pray aâ—â—iduously constantly as well as fervently Luke 18. 1. And he spake a parable unto them to this end that men ought alwayes to pray and not so faint or as it is in the Greek not to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est non deâ—atigati Cornel a Lap. To pray alwayes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pray in every opportunity shriâ—k back as sluggards in work or cowards in war Now men pray always first when their hearts are always prepared to pray or in a praying frame Secondly When they do not omit the duty when it is to be performed or when they take hold on every opportunity to pour out their souls before the Lord. 1 Thes 5. 17. Pray without ceasing A man must always pray habitually though not actually he must have his heart in a praying disposition Semper orat qui benè sâ—mpeâ— agit To pray always is to pray omni tempore in all estates and conditions in prosperity and adversity in health and sickness in strength and weakness in wealth and wants in life and death So in Ephes 6. 18. Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints Our daily weaknesses our daily wants
time c. But do not persevere and hold out will be doubly miserable in the day of vengeance Perseverance is the accomplishment of every Grace without it he that fights cannot hope to overcome and he that for the present doth overcome cannot look for the Crown unless he still perseveres and goes on conquering and to conquer till he findes all his enemies slain before him Thirdly That Perseverance that accompanies Salvation is An abiding You must persevere and hold fast the faith of the Gospel without wavering in it or startling from it You must be as the Center or as Mount Sion stedfast and unmoveable or continuing in the Word or Doctrine of Christ John 15. 7. If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you 1 John 2. 14. I have written unto you yong men because ye are strong and the Word of God abideth in you Vers 24. Let that therefore abide in you which you have heard from the beginning if that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father 2 John vers 9. Whosoever tranfgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God He that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son None shall receive the end of The Tabernacle was covered over with red and the purple feathers tell us that they take that habit for the same intent to note That we must defend the truâ—h and abide by the truth even to essusion of blood their Faith the Salvation of their Souls but those that hold fast the Doctrine of Faith foundly sincerely and entirely to the end John 8. 31. If ye continue in my Word then are ye my Disciples indeed It is the End that crowns the action as the Evening crowns the day as the last act commends the whole Scene It is not enough to begin well except we end well the beginning of Christians is not so considerable as the end Manasseh and Paul began ill but ended well Neroes first five years were famous but afterwards who more cruel Judas and Demas began well but ended ill It is not the knowledge of the Doctrine of Christ nor the commending of the Word of Christ but the abiding in Christs Word the continuing in Christs Doctrine that accompanies Life and Glory and that will render a man happy at last Such that with Hymeneus and Alexander put away 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. 1 Cor. 5. 5. or make shipwrack of the Doctrine of Faith of the Word of Faith shall by the Lord or his people or by both be delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme Usually the end of such is worse then the beginning Double 2 Pet. 2. 20 21 22. 2 Tim 3. 13. damnation attends those that begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh Fourthly and lastly That Perseverance that accompanies Salvation is A Perseverance in holy and gracius Phil. 3. 10-14 Isa 40. ult Actions and Motions it is a continuing in Pious Duties and Religious Services The life of Christian consists in Motion Non progrediest regredi Not to go forwards is to go backwards not in Session A Christians Emblem should be an House moving towards Heaven he must never stand still he must alwayes be a going on from Faith to Faith and from strength to strength When Saints have done their work in this life they shall sit upon Thrones in a better life Perseverance Acts 13. 43. 14. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a continuance in Prayer and Supplication with an invincible and strong constancy There was a Temple of Concord among the Heathens and shall it not be found among Christians that are the Temple of the Holy Ghost is a going on a holding out in ways of piety and sanctity Acts 1. 14. These all continued with one accord in Prayer and Supplication Chap. 2. 42. And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayers Vers 46. And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking Bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart 1 Tim. 5. 5. Now she that is a widow indeed and desolate trusteth in God and continueth in Supplications and Prayers night and day Rom. 12. 12. Continuing instant in Prayer Christians must work hard in a Wilderness before they sit down in paradise They must make a constant progress in holiness before they enter into happiness It is the excellency of Perseverance that it keeps a Christian still in motion God-wards Heaven-wards Holiness-wards It is a Grace that quickens a man to motion to action it keeps a man still going still doing And Motion is the excellency of the Creature and the more excellent any Creature is the more excellent is that Creature in its motions as you may see in the motions of the Celestial Bodies the Sun Moon and Stars Perseverance is a perpetual motion in ways of Grace and Holiness Perseverance will Psal 44. 16 17 18 19 20. make a man hold up and hold on in the work and ways of the Lord in the face of all impediments discouragements temptations tribulations and persecutions As the Moon holds on her motion though the dogs bark so Perseverance will make a Christian hold on in his holy and heavenly Motions though vain men bark and bite c. And thus I have shewed you what Perseverance that is that accompanies Salvation Now in the Eighth place I shall The eighth and last thing that accompanies Salvation is Hope I shall gather up what I have to say concernâ—ng Hope into as narrow a compass as I can being unwilling to tire the Readers patience and my own spirits The Philosophers excluded Hope out of their Catalogues of vertues numbering it among the perturbations but God by his Werd hath taught us better shew you very briefly First That Hope doth accompany Salvation Secondly What that Hope is that doth accompany Salvation First That Hope doth accompany Salvation these Scriptures speak it out Rom. 8. 24. For we are saved by hope Gal. 5. 5. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith Ephes 1. 18. The eyes of your understanding being inlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints 1 Thes 5. 8. But let us who are of the day be sober putting on the brest-plate of Faith and Love and for an helmet the Hope of Salvation Tit. 3. 7. That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Chap. 1. 2. In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began By all these Scriptures it doth fully
presumption that works men to play with sin to be bold with sin to make light of sin to walk on in wayes of sin Such Assurance will never bring a man to Heaven it will never keep him from dropping into Hell yea it will double his damnation and make him the most miserable among all damned miserable forlorn spirits Ah Lord from This made Auselm say That he had rather be thrust into Hell without sin then go into Heaven with sin such an assurance deliver my Soul and give me more and more of that Divine Assurance that makes sin to be more hateful then Hell and that makes the Soul to be more careful to avoid the one then it is fearful of falling into the other Seventhly A wel-grounded Assurance is alwayes attended with three fair Handmaids or with three sweet Companions The first is Love O! the Assurance 1. Handmaid of Divine Favor doth mightily inflame a mans love to Christ Mary Magdalen Luke 7. loved much Christs love to her drew out her love very much to Christ Assurance makes the Soul sing it out with that sweet Singer of Israel I will dearly love thee O Lord my Psal 18. 1. strength Lovers know not how to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To love intimately and dearly as a tender mother loves the fruit of her womb keep silence lovers of Christ are full of gracious expressions Magnes amor is est amor Love is the attractive Loadstone of love It is impossible for a Soul not to love Christ that knows he is beloved of Christ Christs love constrains the Soul to love not by forcible but loving necessity Praxiteles exquisitly drew Love taking the pattern from that Passion which he felt in his own heart A Believer cannot finde the heart of Christ to be beating towards him but his heart will strongly beat towards Christ Divine love is like a rod of myrtle which as Pliny reports makes the Traveller that carries it in his hand that he shall never be faint or weary of walking or loving Love alone over-powereth all power Love is the Diadem none but the Queen must wear it Love is the Wedding Garment none but the Spouse can fit it Love is a Loadstone to draw as well as a fire to warm he that doth not love Christ was never assured of the love of Christ The second Handmaid or Companion 2. Handmaid that attends a wel-grounded Assurance is Humility David under Assurance Psal 22. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hebrew word Tolagnah that is here rendred Worm signifies a very little worm which a man can hardly see or perceive cryes out I am a worm and no man Abraham under Assurance cryes out that he is but dust and ashes Jacob under Assurance crves out that he was less then the least of all mercies Job under Assurance abhors himself in dust and ashes Moses had the honor and the happiness to speak with God face to face he was very much in Gods books in Gods favor and yet a more humble Soul the earth did never bear The great Apostle Paul under all the revelations and glorious manifestations of God to him counts himself less then the least of all Saints Ephe. 3. 8. That is Presumption that is a delusion of the Devil and no sound Assurance that puffs and swels the Souls of men that makes men prize themselves above the market above the value that God hath put upon them The third Handmaid or Companion 3. Handmaid that attends Assurance is holy Joy Ah this Assurance causes the strong waters of Consolation to overflow the Soule Assurance raises the strongest joyes in the Soul Luk. 1. 46 47. And Mary said My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour When a man comes to be assured that God is his Savior presently his Spirit rejoyces in God this truth is held forth by three Parables in that of Luk. 15. So in that of 1 Pet. 1. 8 9. Whom having not seen ye love in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dance and leap for joy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glorified already they have heavens happinesse before hand whom though now ye see him not yet bebeleeving ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls O the Joy the Joy the inexpressible Joy that attends a wel-grounded Assurance Assurance raises a Paradise of delight in the soul In quibus operamur in ill is gaudemus saith Tertull. In what things or persons we act in those things we rejoyce a Christian under the power of Assurance works all his works in Christ in him therefore and in him alone he rejoyceth Eightly and lastly A wel-grounded Assurance sometimes springs from the Testimony and Witnesse of the Spirit of God The Spirit sometimes witnesses to a Beleevers spirit that he is born of God that he is beloved of God that he hath union and communion with God that he shal reign for ever with God Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That same spirit The Spirits work is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to witnesse together with our Spirit that is to confirme and ratifie what ou◠spirits have asserted concerning our Adoption c. spirit that we are the children of God The Spirit it self witnesseth not onely the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit but the Spirit it self witnesseth together with our own spirit that we are the children of God Sometimes the Saints have two Witnesses joyning their testimonies together to confirm and establish them in these blessed and glorious Truths that they are the Sons of God and Heirs of Glory And this is their honor as well as their comfort that the blessed Spirit should bear witness at the bar of their Consciences that they are the Sons of God 1 Cor. God sometimes assures his people of heaven aforehand 2. 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God That is that we may know our Election Vocation Justification Sanctification and Glorification A man may receive many things that are freely given of God and yet not know them till the Spirit comes and makes them known to the soul Quest But you may say to me how shall wee know the whispering of the holy Spirit from the hissing of the old Serpent how shall we know the report the witnesse and testimony of the Spirit of Christ from that report witnesle and testimony that the old Serpent deludes and deceives many by in these daies wherein he mostly appears in his Angelicall Robes I Answer you may know the whispering Answ of the Spirit from the hissing of the old Serpent c. by these following things which I desire that you