〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to know certainly we are as certain of it as we are certain that we live that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren hee that loveth not his brother abideth in death The Apostle doth not say we thinke we hope c. that we are translated from death to life but we know that we are translated from death to life because we love the brethren Love to the brethren is not the cause of our passing from death to life that is from a natural state to a spiritual state from hell to heaven but an evidence thereof I confesse it is very sad to consider how this precious stream of love is even dried up in many It was wont to be a Proverb Homo homini Deus One man is a God to another But now it may bee truly said Homo homini Daemon One man is a Or Homo homini Leo one man is a Lion to another Devil to another Hee that wants love to his brethren wants one of the sweetest springs from whence Assurance flowes A greater hell I would not wish any man then to live and not to love the beloved of God Now is it not as easie a thing as it is pleasant for a man that hath severall sweet Springs in his Garden to sit Joh. 4. 14. down draw water and drinke O beleeving souls there are Springs there are Wels of living water not only near Gen. 21. 15. to the 19. ver you but in you why then doe you with Hagar sit down sorrowing and weeping when you should be a tasting or a drinking not only of the springs above you but also of the springs within you A man that hath Gal. 5. 22 23 fruit in his Garden may both delight his eye and refresh his spirit with tasting of it certainly we may both eye and taste the fruits of the Spirit in us they being the first fruits of eternall life I thinke none but mad souls will say that grace is that forbidden fruit that God would have us neither Col. 1 27 Solomons Song 1. 5. Solomons Song 4. 7. Psal 45. 13. see nor taste we ought not so to minde a Christ in heaven as not to minde Christ in us the hope of glory Christ would not have his Spouse so to minde her owne blacknesse as to forget that she is all faire and glorious within Sixthly The Holy Ghost exhorts us to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure and presses us to looke to the obtaining of a full assurance therefore Beleevers may attaine unto an assurance of their everlasting happinesse and blessednesse Wherefore 2 Pet. 1. 10. the rather Brethren saith the Apostle give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you doe these things you shall never fall The Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Beza and Jansen Luther saith he had rather obey then work Miracles translated give diligence signifieth two things 1. All possible haste and speed 2. All manner of seriousness and intention in doing make it your maine businesse your chiefest study your greatest care to make your calling and election sure saith the Apostle when this is done your all is done till this be done there is nothing done and to shew the necessity utility excellency and possibility of it the Apostle puts a rather upon it wherefore the rather give all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firme or stable God loves curristas not quaeristas the runner not the questioner he is taken most with them that are more for motion then notion for doing then talking diligence to make your calling and election sure or as it is in the Originall firme or stable it is the one thing necessary it is of an internal and eternal concernment to make firme and sure work for your souls Assurance is a jewel of that worth a pearle of that price that he that wil have it must work and sweat and weep and wait to obtaine it he must not only use diligence but he must use all diligence not only digge but he must dig deep before he can come to this golden Mine Assurance is that white stone that new name that hidden Manna that none can obtaine but such as labour for it as for life Assurance is such precious gold that a man must win it before he can wear it win gold and wear gold is the language both of heaven earth The Riches Honours Languages Psal 127. 1 2. Luk. 5. 5. Prov. 14. 23 and favours of this world cannot bee obtained without much trouble and travell without rising early and going to bed late c. and do you think that assurance which is more worth then heaven and earth can be obtained by cold lazie heart-lesse services if you doe you doe but deceive your own soules There are five things that God Qui fecit te sine te non salvabit tâ— sine te Aug. wil never sell at a cheap rate Christ Truth his Honour Heaven and Assurance he that wil have these must â—ay a good price for them or goe for ever without them And as Peter exhorts you to give all â—iligence to make your calling and election sure So Paul presseth you to looke to the obtaining of full assurance which does clearly evidence that there is a possibility of attaining unto a full assurance of our happinesse and blessednesse in this life And we desire saith Heb. 6. 11. 12 Vide Calvin and Piscator on the text Praecepta decent exempla movent Precepts may instruct but examples doe perswade See from the 13. vers to the 19 ver of this chapter the Apostle that every one of you doe shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end that yee be not slothful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherite the Promises We must not only strive after assurance but we must strive and shew all diligence to the attaining of that rich and full assurance which wil scatter all feares and doubts which wil make a soule patient in waiting couragious in doing and cheerful in suffering and which wil make a heaven in a mans heart on this side heaven and make him goe singing into Paradise in despight of all calamities and miseries And certainly it can never stand with the holinesse righteousnesse faithfulnesse and goodnesse of God to put his people upon making their calling It was a good saying â—a quod juâ—es jube quod vis and election sure and upon obtaining full assurance if there were not a possibility of obtaining a full and well-grounded assurance of their happinesse and blessedness in this life and therefore it doth undeniably follow that they may attaine unto a blessed assurance of their felicity and glory whilst they are in this vale of misery The contrary opinion we make a mans life a hell here though he should escape a hel hereafter Seventhly
HEAVEN ON EARTH OR A Serious Discourse touching a wel-grounded ASSURANCE of Mens Everlasting Happiness and Blessedness Discovering the Nature of Assurance the possibility of attaining it the Causes Springs and Degrees of it with the resolution of several weighty Questions By THOMAS BROOKS Preacher of the Gospel at Margarets Fishstreet-Hill That their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full Assurance of understanding Col. 2. 2. Qui fidei suae sensum in corde habet hic scit Christum Iesum in se esse Ambros 2 ad Corinth c. 13. 5. London Printed by R. I. for John Hancock and are to be sold at the first Shop in Popes-head Alley in Corn-hill 1654. Mr. Brooks on Assurance To the Right Honorable The Generals of the Fleets OF THE Commonwealth of England And to those Gallant Worthies my much Honored Friends who with the Noble Generals have deeply jeoparded their Lives unto many deaths upon the Seas out of love to their Countreys good and out of respect to the Interest of Christ and the faithful people of this Commonwealth Such Honor and Happiness as is promised to all that Love and Honor the Lord Jesus Renowned Sirs THe better any thing is the more communicative it will be for bonum est sui communicativum There are two sorts of goods â—here are Bona Throni and there are Bona Scabelli Goods of the Throne as God Christ Grace Assurance c. Nihil bonum sine summo bono Aug Nothing is good without the chiefest good Omne bonum in summo bono All good is in the chiefest good And Goods of the Foot-stool as Honors Riches c. A man may have enough of the goods of the Footstool to sink him but he can never have enough to satisfie him Mans Happiness and Blessedness his Felicity and Glory lies in his possessing the Goods of the Throne which that you may I humbly desire you seriously to view over the ensuing Treatise It was an excellent saying of Lew is of Bavyer Emperor of Germany Hujusmodi comparandae sunt opes quae cum naufragio simul enatent Such goods are worth getting and owning as will not sink nor wash away if a shipwrack happen but will wade and swim out with us Such are the goods that are here presented in this following Discourse in all storms tempests and shipwracks they will abide with the Soul they will walk and lie down with the Soul yea they will to the Grave to Heaven with the Soul they will in the greatest storms be an Ark to the Soul I have observed in some A Philosopher could say in dâ—nger of shipwrack in a ligh starry night Surely I shall not perish there are so many eyes of providence â—ver me But these had neither so much faith nor courage these men of might had lost their hands and hearts Psa 76. 5. vide terrible storms that I have been in that the Mariners and the Passengers want of Assurance and of those other Pearls of price that in this Treatise are prepresented to publick view hath caused their countenance to change their hearts to melt it hath made them to stagger and reel to and fro like drunken men like men at their wits ends whereas others that have had Assurance and their pardon in their bosoms c. have bore up bravely and slept quietly and walkt cheerfully and practically have said as Alexander once did when he was in a great danger Now saith he here is a danger fit for the spirit of Alexander to encounter withal so they now here are storms and dangers fit for assured pardoned Souls to encounter withal c. Gentlemen This following Discourse I do not present to you as a thing that needs your protection for Veritas stat in aperto campo truth stands in the open Fields I and it will make the lovers of it to stand triumph and overcome Magna est veritas valebit Great is truth and shall prevail but upon these following grounds I tender it to you First You have honored the Almighty by helping him against the high and mighty and he hath honored you by owning of you by standing by 1 Sam. 2. 30. As it was saâ—d of Caesâ—r that while here stored the Statue of Pompey he estabâ—ished his own so while men honor God they preserve their own you by acting for you and by making of you prosperous and victorious over a near enemy a powerful enemy an enraged enemy a resolved enemy a subtil enemy a prepared enemy a lofty enemy and therefore I cannot but desire to honor you by dedicating the following Treatise to the service of your Souls Secondly Because you are my Magnes amoâ—is amor Love is the loadâ—â—oâ—e of love and therefore he said right Si vis ama i ama if thâ—n wilt love thou shalt be loved Friends and that cordial love and friendship which I have found from you hath stampt in my affections a very high valuation of you The Ancients painted Friendship a fair yong man bare headed in a poor garment at the bottom whereof was written Life and Death in the upper part Summer and Winter his bosom was open so that his heart might be seen whereupon was written longè propè a Friend at hand and a far off Verily your undeserved love and respects have made me willing to open my bosom to you in this Epistle and in the following Treatise as to Friends that I love and honor When one came to Alexander and desired him that he might see his Treasure he bid one of his servants take him and shew him not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Money but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Friends It seems he put a higher value Secrates preferred the Kings countenance above his coyn upon them then he did upon all the wealth which he had Faithful Friends are an unvaluable Treasure and the rarity of them doth much inhaunce the price of them Thirdly Because of its exceeding usefulness and suitableness to your conditions I have been some years at Sea and through Grace I can say that I would not exchange my Sea Experiences Psal 107. 24. It is between Christian and Christian as between two Lute strings that are tuned one to another no sooner one is struck but the other trembles for Englands Riches I am not altogether ignorant of the troubles trials temptations dangers and deaths that do attend you And therefore I have been the more stirred in my spirit to present the following Discourse to you wherein is discovered the nature of Assurance the possibility of attaining Assurance the causes springs degrees excellencies and properties of Assurance also the special seasons and times of Gods giving Assurance with the resolution of several weighty Questions touching Assurance further in this Treatise as in a glass you may see these ten special things clearly and fully opened and manifested 1. What Knowledge that is that accompanies Salvation
shall come saith the Lord of hosts Well I will say but this If assurance of Gods love be not a Jewel worth a waiting for it is worth nothing Fourthly Suffering times are times Non poenae sed causa facit martyrem wherein the Lord is pleased to give his people some sense of his favor when they are in sufferings for Righteousness sake for the Gospels sake then usually God causes his face to shine upon them Now they shall hear best news Adversus gentes gratias agimus quod à molestis dominis liberemur saith One. We thank you for delivering us from hard task-masters that we may enjoy more sweetly the bosom of Christ from Heaven when they hear worst from Earth God loves to smile most upon his people when the world frowns most when the world puts their Iron chains upon their legs then God puts his Golden chains about their necks when the world puts a bitter Cup into their hands then God drops some of his honey some of his goodness and sweetness into it when the world is ready to stone them then God gives them the white stone and when the world is a tearing their good names then he gives them a new name that none knows but he that hath it a name that is better then that of sons and daughters when the world cryes out Crucifie them crucifie them then they hear that sweet voice from Heaven These are my beloved ones in whom I am well pleased when the world cloaths them with rags then the Lord puts on his Royal Robes and makes a secret Proclamation to their spirits Thus shall it be done to the men whom the King is pleased to honor when the world gives into one hand a Cup of Water God gives into the other a Cup of Nectar a Cup of Ambrosia when the world gnasheth upon them and presents all imaginary tortures before them then the Lord opens paradise to them as he did to Stephen when Paul and Silas were in prison for the Acts 7. 50. 16. 23 24. Me thinks said one I tread upon pearls when he trod upon hot burning coals and I feel no more pain then if I lay in a bed of down and yet he lay in flames of fiâ—e Revel 1 9 10. He was banished thither by Domitian the Tyrant Vide Euseb l. 3. c. 18. Vide Pliâ— l. 4. c. 12. Gospel sake then God fills them with such unspeakable joy that they cannot but be singing when others were sleeping God turns their prison into a pallace a paradise and they turn his mercies into praises Paul and Silas found more pleasure then pain more joy then sorrow more sweet then bitter more day then night in the prison God will make some beams of his goodness and glory to break thorow stone walls to warm and glad the hearts of his suffering-ones When John was banished into the Isle of Fathmos for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus then he is filled with the Spirit and hath the choicest manifestations and the most glorious Revelations that ever he had all his days Now God makes him one of his Court and Counsel and tells him what glorious and mighty things shall be in the latter days Now he is in a Spiritual rapture and extasie and carried above himself and above all outward things to attend those glorious Visions that God would make known to him It was Gods lifting up the light of his countenance that made the Martyrs to sing in the fire to clap their hands in the flames and to tread upon hot burning coals as upon Beds of Roses This made one say when he felt the flame come to Vincentius his Beard What a small pain is this to be compared to the glory to come what is a drop of vinegar put into an ocean of wine what is it for one to have a rainy day that is going to take possession of a Kingdom The smiles of God made another to sing under dreadful sufferings Christianus sum I am a Christian Sanctus And this made the Christians to sing in Tertullians time Crudelitas vestra gloria nostra Your cruelty is our glory This made a French Martyr to say when the rope was about his fellows neck Give me that golden chain and dub me a Knight of that noble order This made another to desire when he was to die the favor of having his chains buried with him as the ensigns of his honor This made Basil to say Fire Nihil seutit erux in nervo quando animus est in caelo sword prison famine are all a pleasure a delight unto me This made Paul to rattle his Iron chains and to glory in it more then worldly men glory in all their outward glory This made Theodoret to complain that his persecuters did him wrong when they took him off the Rack and ceased tormenting of him for said he All the while that I was on the Rack I found me thought there was a yong man in white an Angel stood by me which wiped off the sweat and I found a great deal of sweetness in it which now I have lost To Sufferings are the ensigns of heavenly nobisiry noâ— wonder then that the Saints are so joyful under them conclude the smiles of God upon the prisoners of hope is that which makes them more chearful and delightful in their sufferings then Jesus Christ was in his When Faninus an Italian Martyr was asked by one why he was so merry at his death sith Christ himself was so sorrowful Christ said he sustained in his soul all the sorrows and conflicts with Hell and Death due to us by whose sufferings we are delivered from sorrow and fear of them all and therefore we have cause of rejoycing in the greatest sufferings Now there are these special Reasons to be given why the Lord is pleased in suffering times to visit his people with his loving kindness and to lift up the light of his countenance upon them Reas 1 First That their patience and constancy Christian fortitude is in ferendo nâ—n in ferierdo not in smiting but suffering under the Cross may be invincible God knows right well That if his left hand in suffering times be not under his people and his right hand over them if he does not give them some sips of sweetness some rellishes of goodness they would quickly grow impatient and inconstant O but now the smiles of God William Flower Appoloâ—â—us Basil Fulgentius Giles of Brussels Alexander Hales Polycaâ—â—us Calvin Luther Brentius Bullinger these and many more have been eminent in patience under sore tryals the gracious discoveries of God makes their patience and constancy invincible as it did Vincentius who by his patience and constancy madded his tormentors wherefore they stripped him stark naked whipped his body all over to a gore blood sprinkled Salt and Vinegar over all his wounds set his feet on burning coals then cast him naked into a
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
that way Faith doth not chuse its object Faith knows that he is powerful and faithful that hath promised and therefore Faith closes with one object as well as another So a true obedient soul singles not out the commands of God as to obey one and rebel against another it dares not it cannot say I will serve God in this command but not in that No In an Evangelical sense it obeyes all Luk. 1. 5 6. Zacharias and Elizabeth were both righteous before God walking in all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Without complaint An obedient soul is like a chrystal glass with a light in the midst which shines forth thorow every part thereof So that Royal Law that is written upon his heaâ—t shines forth into every parcel of his life his outward works do eccho to a Law within the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless They walked not onely in Commandments but also in Ordinances nor onely in Ordinances but also in Commandments They were good souls and good at both A man sincerely obedient layes such a charge upon his whole man as Mary the Mother of Christ did upon all the servants at the Feast John 2. 5. Whatever the Lord saith unto you do it Eyes ears hands heart lips legs body and soul do you all seriously and affectionately observe what ever Jesus Christ sayes unto you and do it So David doth Psal 119. 34 69. Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart The proud have forged a lie against me but I will keep thy Precepts with my whole heart The whole heart includes all the faculties of the soul and all the members of the body sayes David I will put hand and heart body and soul all within me and all without me to the keeping and observing of thy Precepts Here is a soul thorow-paced in his obedience he stands not halting nor halving of it he knows the Lord loves to be served truly and totally and therefore he obeys with an entire heart and a sincere spirit I have read of a very strange speech that dropped out of the mouth of Epictetus a Heathen If it be thy will sayes he O Lord command me what thou wilt send me whither thou wilt I will not withdraw my self from any thing that seems good to thee Ah how will this Heathen at last rise in judgement against all Sauls Jehues Judases Demases Scribes Pharisees Temporaries who are partial in their obedience who while they yeeld obedience to some commands live in the habitual breach of other commands Verily he that lives in the habitual breach of one command shall at last be reputed by God guilty of the breach Jam. 2. 10. of every command and God accordingly will in a way of Justice proceed against him Ezek. 18. 10 11 12 13. It was the glory of Caleb and Joshua Num. 14. 24. that they followed the Lord fully in one thing as well as another So Cornelius Acts 10. 33. We are present before God to hear whatsoever shall be commanded us of God He doth not pick and chuse So in Acts 13. 22. I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart which shall fulfil all my will or rather as it is in the Greek he shall fulfil all my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wils He mindes not onely general duties of Religion but also particular duties as a Magistrate as a Minister as a Father as a Master as a Son as a Servant wills To note the universallity and sincerity of his Obedience A sincere heart loves all commands of God and prizes all commands of God and sees a Divine Image stamped upon all the commands of God and therefore the main bent and disposition of his soul is to obey all to subject to all God commands universal obedience Josh 1. 8. Deut. 5. 29. Ezek. 18. The Promise of Reward is made over to Universal Obedience Psal 19. 11. Josh 1. 8. Universal Obedience is a Jewel that all will wish for or rejoyce in at the day of death and the day of account And the remembrance of these things with others of the like nature provokes all upright souls to be impartial to be universal in their Obedience Thirdly That Obedience that accompanies Salvation springs from inward Spiritual causes and from holy and heavenly Motives it flowes from Faith Hence it is called The obedience of Faith Rom. 16. 26. So in 1 Tim. 1. 5. Now the end of the Commandment is Love out of a pure Heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith unfeigned Faith draws down that Divine Vertue and Power into the soul that makes it lively and active abundant and constant in the work and way of the Lord. And Where Love is the Soul says of every command Bonus Sermo it is a good saying but where Love is wanting the man cryes out Durus Sermo It is a hard saying who can bear it as Faith so Love puts the Soul forward in ways of Obedience John 14. 21 23. If any man love me he will keep my Commandments So Psal 119. 48. My hands also will I lift up to thy Commandments which I have loved Divine Love is said to be the keeping of the Commandments because it puts the Soul upon keeping them Divine Love makes every weight light every yoke easie every command joyous it knows no difficulties it facilitates obedience it divinely constrains the soul to obey to walk to run the ways of Gods commands And as sound Obedience springs from Faith and Love so it flows from a filial Fear of God Psal 118. 119. Mine heart stands in aw of thy Word So Heb. 11. 7. Noah being warned of God touching things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark. Ah but Hypocrites and Temporaries are not carried forth in their Obedience from such precious and glorious principles and therefore it is that God casts all their services as dung in Isa 1. 11. their faces And as that Obedience which accompanies Salvation flows from inward Spiritual Principles so it flows from holy and heavenly Motives as from the tastes of Divine Love and the sweetness and excellency of communion with God and the choice and precious discoveries that the soul in wayes of Obedience hath Isa 64. 5. had of the beauty and glory of God The sweet looks the heavenly words the glorious kisses the holy embraces that the obedient soul hath had makes it freely and fully obedient to the Word and Will of God Ah! but all the Motives that move Hypocrites and carnal Professors to Obedience are onely external and carnal as the eye of Matth. 6. the Creature the ear of the Creature the applause of the Creature the rewards of the Creature either the love of the loaves or the gain of John 6. custom or the desire of ambition sometimes they are moved to obedience from the fear of the Creature and sometimes from the
The betrothed Virgin cannot shew more strong and vehement love to her beloved then by being sick and surprised with love-qualms when she meets him when she enjoyes him it was so here with the Spouse of Christ The love of Christ to Believers is a vehement love an ardent love witness his leaving his Fathers bosom his putting upon us his Royal Robes his bleeding his dying c. And it doth naturally beget Amor non nisi donum amantis Gul. Par. vehement and ardent Love in all the beloved of God Where Christ loves he always begets somewhat like himself Amor semper habet quid sui simile That love that is flat luke-warm or cold will leave a man to freeze a this side Heaven it will fit him for the warmest place in Hell Dives love was very cold and he found the flames of Hell to be very hot That love that accompanies Salvation is full of heat and fire Fifthly That Love that accompanies Salvation is lasting Love it is permanent Love the objects of it are lasting the springs and causes of it are lasting the nature of it is lasting The Primitive Christians loved not Revel 12. 11. their lives unto the death Persecutors have taken away the Martyrs lives for Christ but could never destroy their love to Christ Ephes 6. 24. Grace be 1 Cor. 13. 8. Love never faileth or as it is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never falleth away but shall last for ever in Heaven in which respect the Apostle lifts it up above Faith Hope and all the common gifts of the Spirit in the same Chapter with all that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity or in incorruption as the Greek word signifies whereby the Apostle gives us to understand That true love to Christ is not liable to corruption putrifaction or decay but is constant and permanent lasting yea everlasting That Love that accompanies Salvation is like to the Oyl in the Cruse and the Meal in the Barrel that wasted not it is like the Apple-Tree of Persia that buddeth blossometh and beareth fruit every moneth it is like the Lamp in the story that never went out it is like the Stone in Thracia that neither burneth in the fire nor sinketh in the water Cant. 8. 6 7. Love is stronger then death many waters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contemning it would be contemned Omnia vincit amor Love rides in her chariot of triumph over all calamities and miseries and cryes Victory victory cannot quench it nor thâ— floods cannot drown it If a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would be contemned Love will out-live all enemies temptations oppositions afflictions persecutions dangers and deaths Loves Motto is Nulli cedo I yeeld to none Love is like the Sun the Sun beginning to ascend in his circle never goes back until he comes to the highest degree thereof True love abhors Apostacie it ascends to more perfection and ceases not until like Eliahs Fiery-Chariot it hath carried the Soul to Heaven Many mens love to Christ is like the Morning Dew it is like Jonahs Goard that came up in a night and vanished in a night But that love that accompanies Salvation is like Ruthes love a lasting and an abiding Ruth 1. love it is Love that will bed and board with the Soul that will lye down and rise up with the Soul that will to the fire to the prison to the grave to Heaven with the Soul Sixthly That love that accompanies Salvation is an abounding This is clear throughout the whole Book of Cantiâ—les as all may ruâ— and read love an increasing love Love in a Saint is like the Waters in Noahs time that rose higher and higher The very nature of true Love is to abound and rise higher and higher Phil. 1. 9. This I pray that your love may abound yet more and more The longer a Believer lives the more eminent and excellent Causes of Love he sees in Christ Christ discovers himself gradually to the Soul Now a Believers love to Christ rises answerable to the causes of love that he sees in Christ The more light the more love Knowledge and Love like the Water and the Ice beget each other Man loves Christ by knowing and knows Christ by loving Mans love is always answerable to his light he cannot love much that knows but little he cannot love little that knows much As a man rises higher and higher in his apprehensions of Amat Deus non aliunde hoc habet sed ipse est unde amat Aug. Christ so he cannot but rise higher and higher in his affections to Christ Again the daily Mercies and Experiences that they have of the love of Christ of the care of Christ of the bowels and compassions of Christ working more and more towards them cannot but raise their affections more and more to him As fire is encreased by adding of fuel unto it so is our love to Christ upon fresh and new manifestations of his great love towards us As the Husband abounds in his love to his Wife so the Wife rises in her love to her Husband the more love the Father manifests to the Childe the more the ingenuous Childe rises in his affections to him so the more love the Lord Jesus shews to us the more he is beloved by us Christ shewed much love to Mary Luke 7. 47 48 Magdalen and this raises in her much love to Christ She loved much for much was forgiven her As the Israelites in the three and thirtieth of Numbers removed their Tents from Mithkah to Chasmonah from sweetness to swiftness as the words import so the sweetness of Divine love manifested to the soul makes the soul more sweet swift and high in the exercise and actings of love towards Christ A Soul under special manifestations of Love weeps that it can love Christ no more Mr. Welch a Suffolk Minister weeping at Table and being asked the reason of it answered It was because he could love Christ no more The true lovers of Christ can never rise high enough in their love to Christ they count a little love to be no love great love to be but little strong love to be but weak and the highest love to be infinitely below the worth of Christ the beauty and glory of Christ the fulness sweetness and goodness of Christ The top of their misery in this life is That they love so little though they are so much beloved Seventhly and lastly That Love that accompanies Salvation is open love it is manifest love it is love that cannot be hid that cannot be covered and buried it is like the Sun it will shine forth and shew it self to all the world A man cannot love Christ but he will shew it in these and such-like things as follow First Divine Love makes the Soul even ready to break in longing after a further clearer and fuller enjoyment of Christ The voice of Divine love is
and so it makes a Christian to stand and triumph over all afflictions oppositions and temptations A third property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation is this It makes the Soul lively and active Psal 119. 166. Lord I have hoped for thy salvation and done thy commandments Hope puts the Soul upon doing upon obeying 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant or much mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Much. hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead It is called a lively hope A mans duties and services usually are as his hopes are if his hopes are weak and low so will his services be but if his hopes are spiritual noble and high so will his motions and actions be Divine hope makes Saints as far excel all other men in their actings as the Angels do excel them Some say hope and fasting are the two wings of Prayer fasting is but as the wing of a bird but hope is as the wing of an Angel bearing our prayers to the throne of Grace because it brings life and comfort into the Soul and it is called a lively hope in opposition to the withering and dying hopes of Hypocrites and wicked men and it is called a lively hope because it flows from lively causes viz. The Spirit of Christ and the Souls union and communion with Christ but mainly it is called a lively hope because it puts the Soul upon lively endeavors Hope will make a man pray as for life hear as for life and mourn as for life and obey as for life and work and walk as for life Hope will not say this work is too hard and that work is too hot this work is too high and the other work is too low Hope will make a man put his hand to every work Hope makes a man more motion then notion it makes a man better at doing then at saying c. Hope gives life and strength to all religious duties and services 1 Cor. 9. 10. He that plougheth should plough in hope and he that thresheth in hope shall be partaker of his hope Hope will put a Christian upon ploughing and threshing that is upon the hardest and difficultest services for God and his glory If fleshly Fleshly hopes put the Romans upon doing very strange and wonderful exploits as you may see in Plutarch and other Historians hopes of gaining the honors riches and favors of this world made Absolom Ahitophel Jehu Haman and many Heathens full of life and activity full of motion and action Verily holy and heavenly hopes will make men much more lively and active by how much heavenly hopes are more excellent then earthly A man full of hope will be full of action a lively hope and a diligently hand are inseparable companions Hope will make a man do though he dies for doing A fourth property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation is this It will make a man sit Noah like quiet and still in the midst of all storms and tempests in the midst of all combustions concussions and mutations when others are at their wits end then hope will house the Soul and lodge it safe and quiet in the bosom of God Job 11. 18. And thou shalt be secure because there is hope yea thou shalt dig about thee and thou shalt take thy rest in safety The Hebrew word that is here rendred rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To rest as men rest in their beds or as the body rests in the grave is from a root that signifies to rest and sleep quietly as in ones bed Hope will bring the Soul to bed safely and sweetly in the darkest night in the longest storm and in the greatest tempest Heb. 6. 19. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the veil Hope is that Anchor of the Soul that keeps it quiet and still in all storms and tempests it keeps the soul from dashing Chrysostome saith that hope is not onely the Anchor but the Ship to that good Anchor upon the Rocks and from being swallowed up in the Sands Hope is an Anchor that is fastned above not below in Heaven not in Earth within the veil not without therefore the ship the Soul of a Believer must needs be safe and secure That ship will never be split upon the Rocks Hypoerites in stormy times are like ships without Anchors â—ost up and down with every wave and in danger of being split upon every Rock Job 27. 9 10. whose Anchor is in Heaven Hope enters within the veil and takes fast Anchor-hold on God himself and therefore blow high blow low rain or shine the soul of a Saint is safe Divine hope settles the heart he that cannot look for more then he hath can never be settled nor satisfied our best and greatest estate lies in invisibles our perfect and compleat estate here lies not in re but in spe it lies not in what we have in possession but in what we have in expectation in reversion A fift property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation is this It will work the Soul to a quiet and patient Patience is nothing else but Hope spun out If you would lengthen Patience be sure to strenthen Hope waiting upon God for mercy though God should delay the giving in of mercy Rom. 8. 25. But if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it Psal 130. 5 6. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope My soul waiteth for the Lord more then they that watch for the morning I say more then they that watch for the morning Hope will make a man wait yea wait long for a mercy as it did Abraham Rom. 4. 18 19 20 21. Though the vision stay yet hope will Hab. 2. 1 2 3. Heb. 10. 36 37. Hopes Motto is Quod defertur non aufertur For bearâ—nce is no acquittance wait for it yet a little little while sayes hope and he that shall come will come and will not tarry The longer I wait for a mercy the greater better and sweeter at last the mercy will prove sayes Hope It is not mercy if it be not worth a waiting for sayes Hope and if it be mercy thou canst not wait too long for it sayes Hope The men of Bethulia resolved to wait upon God but five dayes longer but Deliverance stayed seven dayes and yet came at last So sayes Hope Pittacus one of the seven Sages used to say A wise man must recover that by patience which force cannot command though Deliverance stay though this and that mercy stayes as it were in the birth yet it will come at last therefore wait Hope is not hasty in prefixing the time when God shall shew mercy neither will it
secrets and Ephes 3. 5. Col. 1. 26. mysteries that have been hid from all ages and to be swallowed up in the full enjoyment of thy Blessed Self Thirdly A wel-grounded Assurance is usually strongly assaulted by Satan The Devil marcheth well armed and in good array saith Luther on all sides Satan is such a grand enemy to the Joy and Peace to the Salvation and Consolation of the Saints that he cannot but make use of all his devices and stratagems to amaze and amuse to disturb and disquiet the peace and rest of their Souls No sooner had Jesus Christ heard that lovely voice from Heaven This is my Matth. 3. ult 4. 1 2 c. beloved Son in whom I am wel-pleased but he is desperately assaulted by Satan in the Wilderness No sooner was Paul 2 Cor. 12. dropped out of Heaven after he had seen such visions of glory that was unutterable but he was presently assaulted and buffetted by Satan Stand up stand up assured Christians and tell me whether you have not found the Isa 25. 4. blast of the terrible one to be as a storm against the wall Since the Lord I verily think that they have very much cause to question the truth of their assurance who know not what it is to have their assurance assaulted strongly by Sâ—tan said unto you be of good chear your sins are forgiven you Have not you found Satan to play the part both of the Lyon and the Woolf of the Serpent and the Fox and all to weaken your Assurance and to work you to question the truth of your Assurance and to cast water upon your Assurance and to take off the freshness and sweetness the beauty and glory of your Assurance I know you have His malice envy and enmity is such against Satan is that old Serpent as John speaks Revel 12. 9. He is as old as the World and is grown very cunning by experience he being a spirit of above five thousand years standing Gods honor and glory and your comfort and felicity that he cannot but be very studious and industrious to make use of all traps snares methods and wayes whereby he may shake the pillars of your Faith and weaken and overthrow your Assurance Pirates you know do most fiercely assault those ships and vessels that are most richly laden so doth Satan those precious souls that have attained to the riches of full Assurance Assurance makes a Paradise in Believers Souls and this makes Satan to roar and rage Assurance fits a man to do God the greatest service and Satan the greatest dis-service and this makes him mad against the Soul Assurance makes a Saint to be too hard for Satan at all weapons yea to Rom. 8. 32. ult lead that Sun of the Morning captive to spoil him of all his hurting power to bind him in chains and to triumph over him and this makes his Hell a great deal hotter and therefore never Luther cryes out I am set upon by all the world without and within by the devil and all his Angels wonder at Satans assaulting your Assurance but expect it and look for it The Jaylor is quiet when his prisoner is in Bolts but if he be escaped then he pursues him with hugh and cry so long as the Soul is in bolts and bondage under Satan Satan is quiet and is not so apt to molest and vex it but when once a Soul is made free and John 8. 36. assured of his freedom by Christ then sayes Satan as once Pharaoh did I Exod. 15. 9. will arise I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword my hand shall destroy them The experience of all assured Saints doth abundantly confirm this Israel going into Egypt had no enemies no opposition but travelling into Canaan they were never free Fourthly A wel-grounded Assurance makes a man as bold as a Lyon it makes him valiant and gallant for Prov. 28. 1. Tanto plâ—â— gloriae referemus quoniam eo plures superabimus The number of opposers makes the Christians conquest the more illustrious say Saints under the power of Assurance c. Christ and his cause in the face of all dangers and deaths After the Holy Ghost was faln upon the Apostles and had assured them of their internal and eternal Happiness O how bold how undanted how resolute were they in the face of all oppositions afflictions and persecutions as you may see from the second of the Acts of the Apostles to the end of the Acts. So Assurance had this operation upon Davids heart Psal 23. 4 6. compared Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life Well David but how doth this Assurance of yours operate Why saith he Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil So Moses having an Assurance of the recompence of reward he fears not the wrath of the King for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Was constant he endured as seeing him who is invisible Heb. 11. 26 27. So in Heb. 10. 34. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knowing that you have in your selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a better being in Heaven and an abiding one ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance O that Knowledge that Assurance that they had in their own hearts of enjoying in Heaven a better and a more enduring substance made them bear cheerfully and gallantly the spoiling of their worldly goods Though the Archers the World the Flesh and the Devil do shoot sore at a Soul under Assurance yet his Bowe will still abide in strength Assurance will make a man to break a Bowe of Steel to trample down strength and to triumph over all oppositions and afflictions Colonus the Dutch Martyr called to the Judge that had sentenced him to death and desired him to lay his hand upon his heart and asked him whose heart did most beat his or the Judges Assurance will make a man do this and much more for Christ and his Cause Fifthly A wel-grounded Assurance of a mans own eternal Happiness and Blessedness will make him very studious and laborious to make others happy Psal 66. 16. Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul I will acquaint you with the soul-blessings with the soul-favors that God hath crowned me with I was darkness but he hath Eph. 5. 8. 1 Cor. 1. 30. made me light I was unrighteousness but he hath made me righteous I was Col. 2. 10. Isa 1. 6. Ephes 5. 26 27. Cant. 4. 7. deformed but he hath made me compleat I was full of sores and spots and blemishes but he hath washed me and made me all fair without spot or wrinkle I have found the want of Assurance I now
sometimes been better then his word he hath ever performed and he hath over performed hee promised the children of Israel only the Land of Canaan but he gave them besides the whole Land of Canaan two other Kingdoms which hee never promised Ah! how often hath God prevented us with his blessings and hath given Viâ—es reports of a Jew that having gone over a deep river on a narrow planck in a dark night comming the next day to see what danger he had escaped fell down dead with astonishment Ah the astonishing mercies that we have had in these late yeers us in such mercies as have been as far beyond our hopes as our deserts How hath God in these dayes of darknesse and blood gone beyond the prayers desires hopes and confidences of his people in this Land and beyond what we could read in the Book of the Promises Satan promises the best but payes with the worst hee promises honour and pays with disgrace hee promises pleasure and pays with pain he promises profit and pays with losse he promises life and pays with death But God pays as he promises all his payments are made in pure gold therefore take these promises wherein God hath engaged himself to assure thee of his love and spread them before the Lord and tell him that it makes as well for his honour as thy comfort for his glory as for thy peace that he should assure thee of thy everlasting happinesse and blessednesse Fifthly There is in all the Saints the springs of assurance and therefore they may attain to assurance precious Faith is one spring of assurance and this is in all the Saints though in different degrees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obtained by loâ— I may say of Faith as Luther says of Prayer it hath a kind of Omnipotency in it it is able to do all things Est quaedam omnipotentia preâ—um Tantum possumus quantum credimus Cyp. 2 Pet. 1. 1. Simon Peter a Servant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousnesse of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Faith in time will of its own accord raise and advance it self to assurance Faith is an appropriating grace it looks upon God and saith with David this God is my God for ever and ever and hee shall be my guide unto the death It lookes upon Christ and saith with the Spouse I am my Beloveds and his desire is towards me It looks upon an immortall crowne and saith with Paul Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse It looks upon the righteousnesse of Christ and saith this righteousnesse is mine to cover me It looks upon the Mercy of Christ and saith this mercy is mine to pardon me It looks upon the Power of Christ and saith this power is mine to support me It looks upon the Wisdome of Christ and saith this wisdome is mine to direct me It looks upon the blood of Christ and sayes this blood is mine to save me c. As Faith so Hope is another spring of Assurance Col. 1. 27. Christ in you saith Paul the hope of glory So Heb. 6. 19. which hope wee have as an anchor of the soule both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vaile Hope taketh fast hold upon heaven it selfe upon the sanctum sanctorum A Christians hope is not like that of Pandora which may flye out A Saints motio is Spero meliora the hypocrites hope is like the morning dew Job 8. 13 14. Iob 20. 11. Prov. 7. of the box and bid the soule farewell as the hope of the hypocrites do no it is like the morning light the least beame of it shall commence into a compleat Sun-shine it shall shine forth brighter and brighter till perfect day When Alexander went upon a hopefull expedition hee gave away his gold and when he was asked what he kept for himselfe he answered Spem majorum meliorum the hope of greater and better things So a Christian will part with any thing rather then with his hope hee knows that hope will keep the heart both from aking and breaking from fainting and sinking he knowes that hope is a beame of God a sparke of glory and that nothing shall extinguish it till the soul bee filled with glory Soules that are big in hope will not be long without sweet assurance God loves not to see the hopeing soule go alwayes up and downe sighing and mourning for want of a good word from heaven for want of possessing what it hopes in time to enjoy hold out hope and patience a little little longer and he that hath promised to Heb. 10. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come will come and will not tarry Againe a good conscience is another spring of assurance 2 Cor. 1. 12. Tolle conscientiam Tolle omnia For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly Conscientia pura semper secura to you wards So in that 1 Joh. 3. 21. Beloved if our heart condemne us not then have we confidence towards God A good conscience hath sure confidence he that hath it sits Noah-like in the midst of all combustions and distractions sincerity and serenity uprightnesse and boldnesse a good conscience and a good confidence go together What the probationer Disciple said to our Saviour in that Mat. 8. 19. Master I will follow thee whithersoever It is a notable speech of SalviÌ„ Such as are truly blessed in their owne consciences cannot be miserable by the false judgements of others thou goest that a good conscience sayes to the beleeving soule I will follow thee from duty to duty from ordinance to ordinance I will stand by thee I will strengthen thee I wil uphold thee I wil be a comfort to thee in life and a friend to thee in death though all should leave thee yet I will never forsake thee A good conscience will look through the blackest clouds and see a smiling God Looke as an evill conscience is attended with the greatest fears and doubts so a good conscience is attended with the Innocency is bulwark enough if you be not guilty saith Seneca greatest clearnesse and sweetnesse And as there is no hell in this world to an evill conscience so there is no heaven in this world to a good conscience He that hath a good conscience hath one of the choysest springs of Assurance And it will not be long before God will whisper such a man in the eare and say unto him Son be of good Matth. 9. 2. chear thy sinnes be forgiven thee Again real Love to the Saints is another spring of Assurance and this spring is a never failing spring this spring is in the weakest as wel as in the strongest Saints Joh. 3. 14. Wee know