that doth presse in upon the minde and dampes the heart thereof that we may so use the word that we may be established thereby Rule 1 The first rule is this as in all the conditions that concerne thy soule thou must first repaire to the word and attend thereunto daily so looke into the uprightnesse and sinceritie of thine owne soule which may in some measure answer the word heare what the word will say and see what worke of grace is in thy heart that will answer the word and joyne sides in the testimonie of the happinesse of thy estate and condition be sure to take thy soule at the best doe not alwayes consider what is the worst in thee and goe no farther doe not only see thy failings and infirmities on one side that accuse thee but see if there bee any soundnesse and uprightnesse any goodnesse and truth of heart that may speake for thee heare both sides it is injustice to heare one side and determine a cause thereby as the Lord deals with his servants so thou shouldst deale with thy selfe now the Lord doth not lye at a catch with his children to spie out their faults and so proceed against them accordingly but he takes them at the best hand Rom. 4.22 it is a thing very remarkable concerning Abraham Abraham beleeved and it was counted to him for righteousnesse when did God speake concerning Abrahams faith the time was when Abraham beleeved not his faith is discovered Genes 15. in the beginning we shall see he beleeved not but was doubting and staggering concerning Gods giving him a Sonne now God lookes not at his infirmities but God takes him at the best Abraham beleeved c. a little before Abraham doubted thou hast promised a Sonne but I perceive it not then God led him into the fields and discovered his power and goodnesse and then Abraham beleeved and this is still recorded and registred of Abraham to all posteritie so 1 Pet. 3.6 where Sarah is spoken of as a patterne to all holy women not for her broidered haire but the text saith Shee was clad with a meeke spirit and called her husband Lord Genes 18. there we shall read that she called him Lord and it was her dutie and she did well in so doing but there we shall read in the same place that shee denied the tidings of the Angell now the Lord buries her failings and doth not record and register that but hee tooke her at the best and recorded that so we must deale with our selves wee must not lye at the catch with our hearts and say this is naught and this is vile but observe what so ever is upright and sincere and blesse God for that and rejoyce in that and weigh that as well as the other nay that rather than the other if a man should have a case handled after this fashion and if the Judge should observe onely what is foule on one mans side and goe no further the most upright man might be cast in the best case therefore the course of the court is he will heare the reasons and witnesses on both sides if there be any bonds or evidences brought in or any argument to be made he will heare all read there must be an equall proceeding should a man have a suit with another about the forfeiture of a bond or indenture if the Judge heare one and not the other he might carry the cause against the most upright man therefore the other cries out and saith good my Lord heare all and let all be read one saith you may see the falsnesse of this man aye saith the other but heare all my Lord and then the Judge is sufficiently satisfied before witnesses whereas if the Judge had but heard the first part and not the second the case would have gone against the man though never so good so many Saints deale with their soules what a wretched heart what pride and stubbornnesse have I my heart will not leave the world it is unfit for service and dead in service but heare all read all is not thy soule burthened with these and is not thy heart troubled with those is it not a griefe to thy soule and doth it not lye heavie upon thy heart that thou canst not walke exactly before God Oh saith the soule it is the greatest evill that ever befell me and I would be content almost not to be that I might not be so sinfull why then thou art an upright hearted man now take thy soule on this side and heare the best of it looke as it is with a mans hand the backe of his hand cannot take hold of a staffe but his palme can if a man complaine that hee cannot hold a staffe and turne the backe of his hand no wonder turne the right side of your hand and then you will graspe it and hold it easily so turne the right side of your soule to the promise the promises of God are the staffe that upholds our soules and our soules should rest thereupon and trust thereunto now wee turne the backside of our hearts to the promise stubbornnesse great and doubtings many and corruptions fierce the wrong side of the heart is to the promise and this will hinder thee from comming to and receiving good from the word but thy soule seeth these and is willing to bee freed from these thy soule hates these and thy selfe for these this is the right side of the heart that lyes levell to the promise therefore attend the word and repaire daily thereto and attend the better side doe not attend to weaknesse and feeblenesse but to soundnesse and sinceritie that is the first rule Rule 2 The second rule is this labour to have thy conscience setled and convictingly established of that truth of that grace which reason now informed doth entertaine and the Word doth witnesse to bee in thee labour to get thy conscience setled and established powerfully touching the truth that out of the word and the evidence thereof thou hast seene marke I say if there be any want of the assurance of Gods love and setling thereof to thy soule so that the evidence of the worke of grace doth not come powerfully in upon thy heart but there is some guilt of sinne still remaining and conscience still begins to accuse thee and condemne thee the truth is though reason be informed yet haply conscience will breed new broyles at every turne and put in new pleas and so nip disquiet and torment our hearts in staggering our hearts therefore as we must have our judgements informed out of the Word that there is some good and soundnesse in our soules so wee must get conscience perswaded of it that conscience may be on our side and speake for us A man must deale in this case as a debtor if he bee ingaged to many creditors the onely way to get safety is to agree not with some but with all for if hee agree with all but one that one may imprison
burthened Christ will ease you and you that are thus lost Christ will finde you But now if a man will not set to his seale and if the soule doe not take all this to it selfe and enter possession of it in this kinde and seale and deliver as wee use to say it will never prove authenticall but when it is sealed and delivered then it is authenticall So when the soule makes an application of the promises to it selfe then it is authenticall and the soule feeds upon it and refresheth it selfe therewith for ever Secondly faith jogs the hand of God and sets Gods power on worke and makes way for the streame of Gods promise and providence that it may take place I say it makes ay for the worke of the promise that so whatsoever is good may flow in amaine upon the heart and be communicated to it as it is in other courses of providence When God sets up a course of providence in the â—se of means then in the use of those means as â—â—e ordinarily workes Now God will nourish a man if he will eat his meat and use the means appointed for his nourishment and hee that will take up the course that God hath appointed may expect a blessing so faith is the condition that God requires and the means that he hath appointed whereby he will convey all good to the soule and as all grace and mercy is conveyed from God through the promise so if wee will beleeve and lay our hearts to the promise wee are under the power of the promise to convey all grace and mercy to us As it is with a Pump or Well there is water enough in the Well but yet a man must draw and pump it up before hee can have any and when hee drawes then the water doth come So the Fountaine of all grace and goodnesse in Christ and the promise is the pump now faith must jog the promise before any grace can come this I take to be the reason of all those passages in Scripture where the Lord is said to give away himselfe to beleeving soules as Matth. 15.28 Oh woman great is thy faith bee it unto thee as thou wilt Christ gives her leave to goe to the treasure of mercy and grace and to take what she would he doth not say be it unto thee as I will but as thou wilt looke what health thou wilt have for thy daughter and what comfort for thy conscience goe and take it the Lord denies her nothing This is the meaning of that place Math. 9.29 Bee it unto you according to your faith not according to your wit or pride or strength or sturdy spirits as if a man would goe to Heaven and bee proud and stout hearted too no no there is no such matter not according to your parts and gifts but according to your faith Gen. 17.7 God makes a deed of gift to Abraham saying I will be a God to thee and thy seed after thee take all Abraham so that beleeving sets Gods grace a going and puts Gods power and providence forth for the good of the soule Now imagine the Lord did yet deny that soule that mercy which it seekes and begs and doth not answer the desire of the heart and let in that good and sweetnesse the beleeving soule expects from him what will faith doe then This is the third Act of faith in drawing vertue from Christ faith urgeth God with his owne word and presseth Gods promise and challengeth God on his faithfulnesse and truth not to be wanting unto him for the acceptation of his person and the pardon of his sinnes Faith enters into suit with God Psal 143.1 Heare my prayer Lord and in thy faithfulnesse answer me as if he had said I confesse I am base vile and sinfull and deserve â—o mercy therefore not in my worthinesse but in thy faithfulnesse answer me I cannot bee but â—ile and thou canst not bee but faithfull and if thou canst cease to be faithfull I am content to be miserable and so you may for he can as well cease to be faithfull as cease to bee God It is a â—aw-case betweene God and Iacob Gen. 22.10.11 see how he presseth God in a point Oh saith hee I know my brothers maliciousnesse and dogged spirit and I expect hard measure from him O Lord therefore remember thy servant for I feare my brother Esau and thou hast said thou wilt doe good to thy servant c. As a man that hath a good cause at the Assizes or Sessions though hee hath a great enemie one that over-powers him yet being confident that his cause is good will bring it about againe and will not rest till he hath an equall hearing So faith when the Lord frownes upon him yet the heart puts him in suit as it were and doth expostulate the cause with the Lord saying Hath the Lord forgotten to be gracious and will he be no more intreated This expostulation of the soule that the heart presseth in upon God withall when it is upon a good ground it argues the pursuit of God that he will not leave till the Lord give that hee hath engaged himselfe to bestow Thus to gather up all faith goes out to the Lord Jesus Christ and layes hold upon him layes all the weight upon him drawes vertue from him as in all the former particulars The fifth and last thing wherein the great worke of resting consists is this faith leaves the soule with the promise and after all desires haply and all denials and all the discouragements of God and yet the soule seeth not the way of God but that God frownes upon him and though God comes not yet faith leaves the heart with God This is marvellous needfull and it must needs be the worke of faith for it is the maine tenour of the worke of the covenant of grace and the covenant of workes in the covenant of workes made with Adam when he said doe and live If Adam had done that hee should have received constant assistance and God would never have denied to helpe him but now in the covenant of grace because it must bee and is free and that a soule may and must know that it is onely the goodnesse of God to us therefore the Lord reserves this prerogative royall to himselfe that howsoever God will bestow what he hath promised yet hee reserves the time to himselfe and what time he will doe it and after what manner and by what means that is onely of Gods free will and hereupon the soule acknowledgeth that it is of Gods free grace as if the Lord should say it is mercy that I give and therefore it is according to my owne minde and I will take my owne time Now in this dead lift the power of faith is this it leaves the soule with the promise it takes up its standing there and saith I will goe to none other and I will seeke no further Esay 28.16 He that beleeves makes not
confidence than in Christ this is marvellous easie and apparant even amongst the Heathens themselves Many of the Heathens themselves have beene so farre taken up with the admiration at and affecting of morall vertues one man with patience and another with temperance they have been so taken up in meditation and in the admiration of these that they have trampled upon crownes and have harsely esteemed of all the honours of the world many speeches of the Heathen wee have to this purpose as that when one said honours riches c. cannot properly be said to be good for then they would make him good which hath them as wee see wisedome makes a man wise that hath it but they that have riches and honours for the most part are most wicked and vilde wretches therefore onely the wise man is the happy man and an ignorant man is a miserable man therefore hee seeing the excellency of and putting a high price upon these morall vertues this hath made them put a high price on the one and trample on the other Now if Heathen men may be so farre taken up with these morall vertues which have onely the light of nature to guide them and never had the knowledge of Christ to drive them beyond themselves that yet they will doe all this then a Hypocrite may come to see a greater beauty than is in all these when they come from the Spirit of grace for the Heathens had but the very shell and outside of these but the Hypocrite knowes the vertue and benefit of these and the eternall good that will come by these this hee is able to discerne and therefore hee is able to put a high price upon these and it is no wonder when the people came to make Saul King hee hid himselfe amongst the stuffe 1 Sam. 10.22 as if hee were unworthy of the kingdome so that a man may for by-ends cast off preferment and ease and honour Secondly whereas the sturdy hypocrite tooke up a fine cold temper and an ordinary path in a Christian course this hypocrite scornes that and he is a profest enemy to lukewarmnesse and to a lazy carnall discretion in a Christian course This is the zeale and forwardnesse of this man but mistake me not for I doe not speake this to dishearten a good cause or the zeale and forwardnesse of any good man no God forbid nay let that tongue faulter and cursed be the head that contrives or the mouth that speakes any thing against the zeale and forwardnesse of any man in any good cause the way is warrantable and lawfull and must be done for though meere morall vertues will not save a Christian yet without them no man shall ever come to Heaven but I speake all this to shew that all this may bee done and yet all be starke naught I doe not speake this to discourage any man for you see I commend of this man hee is not swept downe from the firmament of his profession as the sturdy hypocrite was by the taile of the Dragon but he maintains his profession with credit and is zealous in it he goes for a marvellous broken hearted Christian he scornes to be a linsey-woolsey-man halfe one and halfe of another hee stands in the open defence of the truth and dares side with the Lord Jesus Christ and saith as Iehu who is on my side who 2 Kings 10.16 Come see my zeale which I have for the Lord of Hosts thus it was with Paul Gal. 1. 14. He profited above many of his brethren in the Iewish religion being more exceeding zealous of the traditions of the Fathers and Phil. 3.6 7. he was a Pharisee and concerning zeale he persecuted the Church touching the righteousnesse of the Law he was blamelesse and these he counted gaine This was all the gaine that Paul had namely that hee had such parts and gifts and abilities to doe duties this was all his gaine and because hee had all these hee thought he must needs goe to Heaven nay nay it is harder to goe to Heaven than you thinke for it is another manner of worke than so the greatest hindrance that ever Paul had in his conversion was the carnall confidence which hee had in himselfe there he stucke Now wherein doth the falsenesse of this man appeare I answer Amongst many others it discovers it selfe most grosly and notoriously in these particulars First you shall finde that as for lesser sinnes the reformation of which might spoile him in the venting of his commodities and marring his market that he cannot set himselfe his parts and commodities at sale he will slight those sinnes and make no account of them and swallow them downe without any chewing because such as these bee would hinder him in his trading that hee could not vent and shew himselfe and hee makes no great matter of them this is for his outward practice But if a mans exactnesse in a Christian course be sincere then he will be exact in all things but if his exactnesse may give way to some sinne then it is but hypocrisie it is but a cloake and no soundnesse at all why dost thou heare and pray and take up duties though these must bee done if thy duties bee sincere and if thou lovest duties abroad thou wilt love them at home too 1 Iohn 2.3 Hereby we know that wee know him if we keepe his Commandements if a man keepe all the Commandements of God then he shall savingly know God and hereby hee shall know that he knowes God this is a signe that saving faith is there because it makes a man keepe all the Commandements of God but cursed bee that prayer which seems to set it selfe against sinne and yet gives allowance unto sinne That prayer and performance which maintaines sinne is accursed and God will never accept of it this is for his out side Secondly though this hypocrite be very exact and expresse much power of religion in the world yet follow this wretch home and dog him to his owne heart and closet and there you shall finde him not onely living in but maintaining some sinne either in his practice or else in others as when hee was abroad hee would swallow downe such smaller sinnes as would hinder him in the venting of himselfe so at home hee maintaines some distemper either in his family or in himselfe A man out of the strength of parts and the excellency of his judgement and the ability that God hath bestowed upon him may doe this that wheresoever he comes he will comfort and quicken and exhort and pray with others these are good duties I doe not discommend them but he returnes home and is churlish and dogged and cruell to his servants and takes up a pang of passion and will bee upon the house top for every trifle and this is constant too this is the bane of religion and profession Of this straine are those that for their parts and gifts are marvellous large and they will goe from this
the word and the seed of the promise which is sowne in our hearts by the vertue of the seed and the Spirit of grace accompanying that seed wee have power to receive Christ and the Spirit of Christ and so to become the Sonnes of God This is the reason of that phrase in Scripture We are not children of the flesh but of the promise also of this in Gal. 3. last verse We are made heires by the promise it makes us heires that is looke whatever ground or hope or hold of eternall life and glory blessednesse you hold it by the vertue of the promise all is by a promise grace and goodnesse is communicated to us by a promise this is our life and all our hold therefore the Gospell is made to be the testament of Jesus Christ as by ones last will and testament a man leaves his goods and lands to his posteritie so the Lord Jesus Christ out of his free good will leaveth one legacie of mercie and grace and pardon and strength to all humble broken hearted spirits Galath 3.15 though it be but a mans covenant saith hee when it is confirmed no man doth abrogate it but if a man seale it and confirme it with his bloud then it is fully established no man will no man can disanull it So Christ leaves a Legacie of mercie to you and of favour and compassion to all broken hearted sinners by promise and therefore it is established nay it is the last promise the last Legacie and Testament therefore the promise no man can alter Ioh. 1.14 He doth not leave peace then as the world doth they wish it but cannot give it they wish it but cannot bestow it but Christ leaves a legacie of mercie and peace behind him nay he hath ratified it by his bloud and he will make it good to the soule for ever Partic. 3 The witnesse makes the soule yeeld unto what the spirit hath witnessed As the witnesses in open court in a matter of law they make the case cleare and evident the Jury they take it the Judge observes it you all know how the case goes the witnesse sufficient c. So when the witnesse of Gods Spirit comes bringing the hand of God the Father and the hand of the Sonne touching Gods acceptance it casts the cause clearely Now this judgement of the sinner yeelds and cannot but close and submit it selfe unto the truth this is the meaning of that phrase before the text they shall be taught of God they shall not only learne but they shall be taught they shall have their lesson without booke they shall be made to learne and therefore the tenor of the covenant is this I will write my Law in their inward parts and they shall all know mee from the highest to the least observe the 2 Pet. 1.3 it is a place of marvellous difficultie this I take to be the meaning there is enough to satisfie any man according to his divine power he hath given unto us all things that is the Lord by his almighty divine power hath given unto us all things either appertaining to this present life here or eternall life hereafter But how comes this to passe that God doth this the Text saith It is through knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue the word in the originall is through their acknowledgement of him that hath called us The soule doth not onely barely know that this is grace and mercy in Christ the eye of the understanding is not only opened but hee now comes to acknowledge the same and subscribeth thereby thereunto God saith I will save thy soule I will be thy God the soule saith It is true Lord I will deny it no more I will gain-say it no longer In a word then gather up the point if it be so that the Spirit by the witnesse thereof doth discover the interest we have in grace if it doth ratifie the interest which it doth discover nay if it makes the judgement yeeld to what it hath ratified it certifies effectually and undeniably the truths of grace and mercy thus prepared and ratified to the soule and the soule saith I confesse it Lord and closeth therewith Quest Why may some say if this bee so how then comes it to passe that many of Gods deare children how comes it that many humble hearted creatures never knew they were called never had any speciall intimation of Gods favour they cannot say in truth they are the Lords Answ I speake of him that hath had the work of preparation fully and substantially upon his soule I speake this that no scrambling hypocrite nor sinfull wretch may come and scramble for comfort and so goe away and deceive himselfe in this kind know therefore for answer thereunto There is a double knowledge the first is this A naked simple apprehension of a truth a meere closure of a mans minde with a naked plaine truth revealed so that the judgement saith it is so Secondly there is a reflecting act when a man lookes over his understanding and labours to discerne the worke thereof not only apprehending what was laid before him but when he doth apprehend that he doth apprehend when he knowes that he doth know it marke that place for wee will carry Scripture with us 1 Ioh. 2.3 Hereby we know that we know him saith the Text if wee keepe his Commandements A man may know a thing and yet not know that he doth know so then it is cleare every Saint of God hath the first knowledge that is every man that is truly called in truth doth apprehend and undoubtedly close with the worke of the Spirit making knowne unto him the mercie of Christ many may worke and most men doe the second worke they doe not know that they know the Scripture saith that the Devill himselfe rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience that is he casts in a seed of errour and delusion and corruption into the hearts of wicked men and by his delusions they entertaine those errours embrace base courses Now not one among a thousand can say that the Devill doth thus this is done by vertue of Satan and yet he doth not see it nay there is a veile of Satan upon the soule there is a seed of Satan in the soule and the soule closeth with it and yet hee apprehends it not so every faithfull soule is ruled by Gods Spirit and the seed of Gods Spirit is flung into his minde and closeth therewith but hee cannot discerne the worke of the Spirit working upon him the one governed by Satan the other enlightned by the Spirit but neither can apprehend nor know what they doe know in this kinde Reas 1 Because onely the Spirit of the Lord knowes the Lords minde it is only privie to Gods counsels and it only understands the secrets of Gods love and therefore it only can reveale them and communicate them Matth. 11.27 Now because the holy Spirit proceedeth from
before ever you can bee comforted as for this temporary beleever his eyes were never opened convictingly to see his sinnes and his heart was never burthened with them nor loosned from them that so the Lord Christ and his comforts might be setled upon therefore in Hosea 2.14 I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse and speake friendly to her and I will give her vineyards from thence and the valley of Achor for the doore of hope first in the wildernesse and then in Canaan first in sorrow then in comfort the valley of Achor is the valley of consternation and then the doore of hope this is the way toward Zion but this temporary hath invented a new way to Zion he doth as Ruffians doe they will goe in the â—oad way so farre as they finde good way but when they come into bad way they breake over hedges and finde a new way whether lawfull or unlawfull they care not so doth this man he takes his comfort as soone as ever it comes hee snatches at all the comforts of the Gospell and thinks they are all his owne and all on the sudden he is a forward professour at three or foure dayes warning and his heart snatcheth at every Sermon of mercie and he is as good a Christian by and by as many a poore soule which hath tugged hard for it many a yeare but his conscience was never awakened he never felt the burthen of his sinnes nor the wrath of God against him for his sinnes this temporary promises to himselfe nothing but ease and peace and prosperity therefore when sorrowes and troubles and miseries come he goes away with as much speed as he came like Ionahs gourd that came up suddenly and withered as suddenly so in the beginning of the yeare hee is a hot professour and before the fall of the leafe he is gone againe the wound of this man was this he wanted the worke of the law not onely that through-worke of the law which none shall have but such as have faith but also that legall worke of the law which should breake and hammer his heart this is the stonie ground-hearer he wanted depth of earth what that was wee shall dispute anon when occasion serves the meaning is thus much in the generall the plow which should have given earth and mould enough it was the sharp law which should have torne up his proud sturdy rebellious heart all in peeces but this man never had this worke and therefore his proud heart beat backe the worke of the promise that it never had roome in his heart comfort and consolation will never sticke nor abide upon a proud heart nor upon a stubborne and unbroken heart which was yet never broken for sinne plaisters may be made but they shall never finde ease and comfort by them as they desire you may goe away comforted and say God is mercifull and Christ is gracious and he came to save sinners and though our workes will not justifie us yet the Lord Jesus Christ will save us your plaister will not sticke thus he failes in the entrance to the promise Secondly he failes in his application of the promise for the ground upon which he goes or the cause and reason which carries him to roame after the promise it is onely the generall notice of mercie and of the salvation that God offers the glimpse and the shine whereof being let in upon the heart and passing by jogs the soule and so the heart snatcheth at it he comes to heare the abundance of mercie and the rich redemption and plentifull goodnesse of Christ to pardon all sinnes the sinne against the holy Ghost onely excepted and the freenesse of mercy to all sorts of sinners be they never so many for number never so vile for nature yea he heareth that there is a fountaine set open for all to wash in when he heares this hee saith that 's well then I may come to heaven too and there is some hope that I may receive mercie never considereth the condicions upon which God promiseth and bestoweth mercie whereas the man that is a true beleever hath not only a common kinde of apprehension of the mercie of God in Christ but he hath a particular application of it I will open it thus that every man may take something the temporarie hath a common hear-say of mercie and the common hear-say of mercie in the bare letter of them as that Jesus Christ came to save sinners it is in the bruit of it onely but the humbled soule hath it under the hand of the Spirit and the Spirit seales it and makes it good to him the promise of life slides and passeth by the temporary beleever but now the Spirit of God settles it and it takes a deep and a through impression in the heart of a beleever by application the Spirit of God only as it were jogs the heart of a temporarie beleever but he sets it on deeply upon the heart that is humbled and fitted for it as the Angell said unto Gideon The Lord is with thee thou valiant man so the Lord faith to every humbled soule not onely that the Lord is gracious and mercifull for thus he saith to the temporarie beleever but he is gracious and mercifull to thee and hee will speake peace and comfort to thee which hast spoken trouble and terrour to thine owne heart as in the 1 Cor. 2.12 Wee have not received the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are given to us of God God not only gives us good things but he hath given his Spirit that we may know that it is he which hath given us these good things Thirdly and lastly this temporary beleever failes and fals shott upon this ground also I told you the soule is effectually perswaded to rest upon the free grace of God and to fall into the armes of his mercie now the temporary failes also in the worke of relying that which feeds his hope and stayes his heart is nothing else but the taste and present sweetnesse which he had in the promise he relyes upon the taste and sense which hee had by the sip of the promise and hence it is that when the taste is gone the sweetnesse of the present push is gone that then there comes trouble and sorrow more heavie and more able to vex him than all the other was to comfort him then hee begins to repent him of his match and thinkes that all his profession will not quit cost now when that taste and that comfort which he had failes him and sorrow and afflictions come and overpowers his sweetnesse and comfort then hee fals away but a man that hath true saving faith rests himselfe not upon the taste and sense of this good but upon the goodnesse of God in the promise and upon the all-sufficiency of God in the promise he seeth more good in the promise than in all the