worke done within us I will put my spirit within you saith the Lord Ezek. 36.27 and the kingdome of God is within you saith our Saviour Luke 17 21. So are we by the spirit of God made agents in it our selves Let us cleanse our selves saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 7.1 from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and finish our sanctification in the feare of God But that cleansing from sinne which is wrought by the bloud of Christ in our justification as it is a worke done without us and for us by Christ with his father he by the merit of his bloud wipeth all our sinnes out of his fathers debt-booke so as none of them shall ever be imputed to us nor wee called to account for them so are wee no agents in it at all our selves but this worke is wholly ascribed unto Christ alone Hee washed us from our sinnes saith the Apostle Rev. 15. in his owne bloud And though we be oft said in Scripture to be justified by faith which is a grace inherent in us and an act of our understanding and will yet is not that to be understood so as if our faith had any hand at all in the washing from our sinnes or procuring our pardon of God but because faith receiveth and accepteth this our pardon which Christ onely hath purchased applyeth it unto us and resteth in it therefore and for no other cause is our faith said to justifie us in the sight of God Secondly The cleansing from sinne which is wrought by the spirit of God in our sanctification is not wrought in the same measure and degree in all true beleevers A man may be a true beleever and truly sanctified too and yet come farre short of some other of Gods people that he knoweth in the measure and degree of knowledge faith patience mortification and such like graces of Gods holy spirit Nehemiah saith of his brother Hanani Neb. 7.2 that hee feared God above many And of Iob the Lord himselfe saith Iob 1.8 that there was none like him upon earth a perfect and an upright man one that feared God and eschewed evill His three friends that came to visit him Eliphaz Zophar and Bildad were all good men doubtlesse and so was Elih◠especially they all feared God and eschewed evill they were upright hearted men but they came all farre short of Iob in grace and piety Yea it is strange to see what a distance God putteth betweene his faithfull servants this way how great a measure of sanctifying grace he giveth to some of them and how little unto other some Some of Gods good ground as our Saviour teacheth us Mat. 13.23 bringeth forth an hundred fold and some but sixty and some but thirty fold and yet all good ground too A point which if it were well understood would much abate that veine of bitter censuring which so much aboundeth in these daies But on the other side The cleansing from sin that is wrought by the bloud of Christ in our justification is equally vouchsafed unto every true beleever without any difference at all Every one hath as free and large a pardon and is as fully discharged from all his sins as any other every one is as perfectly righteous in the sight of God as any other is So saith the Apostle Rom. 3.22 The righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ that is by that faith which is reposed in Iesus Christ is unto all and upon all that beleeve for there is no difference Mary Magdalen that had beene a notorious harlot after that once she had truly repented and became a true beleever had all her sinnes as fully forgiven her and was as righteous every whit in Gods sight as the greatest Saint and the penitent theefe that died with Christ upon the Crosse as either Peter or any other of the elect Apostles was In which respect the Apostle saith of all the faithfull to whom he wrote 2 Pet. 1.1 that they had obtained the like precious saith with himselfe and the rest of the Apostles His meaning is not that every true beleever had obtained the like measure and degree of faith that he and his fellow Apostles had but that that faith they had being true how weake soever it was was every whit as precious as much worth to them would do them as much good in respect of the perfect righteousnesse which it did apprehend and apply unto them in which respect only he calleth their faith precious as appeareth plainly in his next words Through the righteousnesse of God saith he and of our Saviour Iesus Christ in this respect I say he saith the faith of the poorest and weakest Christian was every whit as precious as his own or any other mans could be The third difference betweene that cleansing we have from sin by our sanctification and that we have by our justification is this The first is wrought in us by the spirit of God not all at once but by degrees In which respect our sanctification is compared to the light Pro. 4.18 that shineth more and more unto the perfect day And Eph. 4.16 to the body of a man which groweth and increaseth in stature and strength till it be come to the full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and perfection of it So the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.18 that we are changed into the image of God from glory to glory that is from one degree of holinesse to another even as by the spirit of the Lord. Insomuch as the man that standeth at a stay and groweth not in grace hath just cause to suspect that the spirit of God hath not yet sanctified him nor wrought any truth of grace in him The righteous shall grow saith the Prophet Psal. 92.12 like a Cedar in Lebanon And he that hath cleane hands whom the spirit of God doth cleanse and sanctifie saith Iob 17.9 shall be stronger and stronger But on the other side The cleansing that is wrought by the bloud of Christ in our justification is all done at once it never groweth and increaseth at all but is every whit as much at our first ingrafting into Christ by faith as it is ever after Our faith indeed whereby wee doe apprehend it our sense and assurance of it likewise is not perfected at once but groweth and increaseth as our sanctification doth The righteousnesse of God that whereby wee stand just and righteous in the sight of God saith the Apostle Romanes 1.17 is revealed and made knowne to our hearts from faith to faith that is by such a faith as groweth and increaseth from one degree unto another But the worke of our justification is done all at once Therefore Baptisme is said to seale unto us the forgivenesse and washing away of all our sinnes not originall onely but actuall also Arise and bee baptized saith Ananias to Paul Acts 22.16 and wash away thy sinnes that is all thy sinnes as Paul himselfe expoundeth it Col. 2.12 13. Which is also
Apostle Galat. 2.20 The life that I now live As if hee had said The reformed religious and holy life that I now live since my conversion and calling I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God that faith I have in Christ who loved me and gave himselfe for me As if he had said This faith that assureth me of that speciall interest that I have in Christ of that speciall love that Christ hath borne to mee is the onely cause of whatsoever goodnesse is in me And for the second that nothing but faith will breed true goodnesse and grace in the heart we have as plaine a proofe Hebrewes 11.5 6. Enoch had this testimony given of him that he pleased God but without faith it is impossible to please God As if he should have said A man cannot please God in any thing that he doth till he have faith till he be justified by faith and reconciled unto God through Christ. Though the habit of faith and all sanctifying graces which the Apostle 1 Iohn 3.9 calleth the seed of God be by the Spirit of God infused into the heart of man altogether and at one time yet the act and exercise of faith is the first of all and that that setteth every other grace on worke As the earth though it be made soft by those showers that fall upon it in the winter-time and bring forth some blade of the seed that is cast into it yet is it not thereby made fruitfull unto man it never yeeldeth any good and perfect fruit till it have received the sweet heat of the Sun into the bowels of it in the spring time even so is it with the heart of man It may bee and is oft softened by the judgements of God and terrours of the Law God maketh my heart soft saith Iob 23.16 and the Almighty troubleth mee Even by the trouble of his mind and terrours that God disquieted him with his heart was softened And some beginnings also of reformation and goodnesse have beene thereby wrought in it such was that confession of sinne and goodly words that God oft wrung from Pharaoh by his judgements Exodus 9.27 I have sinned the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked and 10.16 Hee cryeth unto Moses to this effect Good Moses forgive me and pray to the Lord for me Such was that repentance and reformation of the wicked Israelites that the Prophet speaketh on Psal. 78.34 When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God And such is the repentance and goodly words that many a wretched man in his sicknesse is wont to utter thus farre forth the winter-showers and stormes of Gods judgements and terrours may work upon mans heart But till Christ Iesus the Sun of righteousnesse as the Prophet calleth him Mal. 4.2 like the comfortable and quickning heat of the Sunne in the spring doe shine upon a man and bee by faith received into his heart it can never bring forth any fruit that is good indeed and acceptable unto God And the true cause why some are fruitfull in grace and goodnesse and some other though they enjoy the same or greater meanes yet no grace will grow in their hearts nor come unto any perfection is this which the Apostle giveth 2 Thes. 3.2 All men have not faith But though the Lord let this visible Sunne shine upon all men indifferently upon the reprobate as well as upon the elect he maketh his Sunne saith our Saviour Matth. 5.45 to rise on the evill and on the good yet doth he not let the Sunne of righteousnesse to shine into every heart but to his elect and peculiar people onely The Lord God is a Sunne and shield saith David Psal. 84.11 but to whom To them that walke uprightly Vnto you that feare my name saith the Lord Mal. 4.2 shall the Sun of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings Not that their walking uprightly and fearing of his name was the cause that moved God to be as the Sun unto them but because it was a marke and note of them whom God would vouchsafe this mercy unto Now if any man shall aske me how faith commeth to be the breeder and worker and increaser of all true goodnesse in a man I answer you two wayes First By receiving Christ into his heart by making Christ his by uniting him unto Christ as nearely and as truely as the members of the body are united unto the head and as the branch is unto the vine By faith we receive Christ and make him our owne as the Evangelist teacheth us Iohn 1.12 By faith hee dwelleth in our hearts as the Apostle speaketh Ephesians 3.17 And as it is not possible but that heart in which Christ dwelleth must needs be renewed and have saving grace bred in it He that abideth in me and I in him saith our Saviour Iohn 15.5 the same bringeth forth much fruit If any man bee in Christ saith the Apostle 2 Corinthians 5.17 hee is a new creature As the living members must needs receive sense and motion from the head and the scion sap from the slocke it is ingrafted into And this is that which the Apostle teacheth 1 Corinthians 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit As if he had said No man can by faith receive Christ and be united unto him but he must needs together with Christ receive the Spirit of Christ also So till we be thus united unto Christ it is not possible for us to have any true goodnesse in us As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe saith our Saviour Iohn 15.4 except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me And 6.53 Verily verily I say unto you except ye eat the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye have no life in you I know well that this union that faith maketh betweene Christ and the soule is mysticall and such as the reason of man is not able to comprehend And so the Apostle speaketh of it This is a great mystery saith he Ephesians 5.32 But yet you see this is clearely taught us in the holy Scripture and this every faithfull soule doth in some measure feele to be true in his owne experience So soone as ever thou dost truely believe in Christ and renouncing all other confidence dost wholly rest and put thine affiance in him thou hast received Christ and made him thine owne and so soone as thou hast received him thou hast also with him received into thine heart his holy Spirit the Spirit of grace and sanctification whereby thou art made a new man Hee that hath the Sonne saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 5.12 hath life that is the life of grace here which is the beginning and pledge of that life of glory which he shall be sure to have in heaven and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life Secondly The faithfull soule by exercising and making use of his faith
observe well all Gods speciall favours and keepe a register of them and repeat them oft to our own soules See what helps Gods people have used this way p. 646. 4 The last and surest meanes of assurance is to renounce our selves and with an humbled soule to cast our selves upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ and to looke for helpe and comfort that way onely p. 647. Proleps 1. He that can finde no goodnesse at all in himselfe may yet be able to do this nay none so fit to do it as he Ibid. Proleps 2. He that hath much doubting and infidelity in him may be able to do this p. 648. We wrong our selves much in trusting too much to that inherent grace we finde in our selves p. 649. Lect. 127. The use of comfort that the former Doctrine serveth unto though it may seeme in two respects unfit yet may not bee omitted p. 649 650. A man may be in the state of grace and have true faith though himselfe cannot perceive it yea though he seeme to himselfe to be utterly out of Gods favour p. 650 651. Hee that hath the least measure of true faith hath Christs blood sprinkled upon his heart by the Spirit of God though hee perceive it not p. 652. The nature and essence of true faith consisteth not in sensible assurance though that be a sweet fruit of it but in an obedientiall affiance in Christ p. 653. The humbled sinner when he findes least assurance and comfort in himselfe yet should rest upon Christ Ibid. The weakest faith may receive helpe this way p. 654. If we finde our selves unable to beleeve and rest on Christ wee must cry to God to make us able Ibid. Even our broken and troubled prayers may much prevaile with God in this case Ibid. Lect. 128. All true beleevers are perfectly cleansed from all their sinnes and are as pure and white in Gods eyes as any snow page 655. The faithfull are cleansed from their sins two waies 1 in their justification by the bloud 2 in their Sanctification by the Spirit of Christ p. 656. These two goe alwaies together yet are there foure maine differences betweene them Ibid. c. Though in respect of our sanctification we be not perfectly cleansed yet in respect of our justification we are p. 658. The largenesse of the pardon that every true beleever hath received and how perfectly he is thereby discharged of all his sins appeares in five points p. 659. The reasons and grounds of it are three p. 660. Lect. 129. The controversie betweene us and the Papists touching justification not unfit to bee handled p. 662. They erre dangerously in denying that Christ hath satisfied as well for the temporall as for the eternall punishment due to our sins Ibid. as appeares by foure evident reasons p. 663. Though th' afflictions that men endure be in their owne nature punishments for sin yet are they not so unto all men for 1 God hath oft inflicted them upon many without all respect to their sin as the cause pag. 664. 2 Even when they are infflicted upon the faithfull for sin yet are they not properly punishments of their sins but chastisements onely p. 665. Though the faithfull upon their first beleeving have obtained a full pardon of all their siâ—s yet must they daily beg the remission of their sins for three reasons pag. 666 667. Lect. 130. Five things to bee granted touching inherent righteousnesse 1 God justifies none but he sanctifieth him also and maketh him holy inherently p. 667. 2 Yea he will make him perfectly holy by inherent holinesse but not during this life 3 This inherent holinesse is called in Scripture the righteousnesse of a man 4 It may be truly said a man is justified by this inherent righteousnesse 5 It may be said in some sense that a man is justified before God by it 668. Yet is not this the righteousnesse whereby a sinner can bee justified before Gods tribunall absolved from condemnation and adjudged unto life eternall p. 669. for then a man might be justified by the workes of the law which no man can be 1 No not by the workes of the morall Law Ibid. 2 No not by the workes done in the state of grace p. 670. Reason 1 because the inherent righteousnesse of the best is imperfect and defiled Ibid. No sinne is veniall and the holyest men have had greater sinnes then veniall p. 671. 2 Reason If a man could be justified by inherent righteousnesse he might have some cause and matter of boasting in himselfe 1b The workes that the regenerate do are their owne not meerely the workes of Christ and his grace p. 672. Sixe plaine proofes that we are justified by Christs righteousnesse imputed to us and by it onely p. 672 673. Reason for it 673. 1. Proleps It s no way unreasonble oâ— absurd that we should be justified by righteousnesse imputed 2. Proleps God justifies none who doe remaine impious 3. Proleps No injustice in God to account them perfectly righteous in whom yet there are many corruptions p. 674. Lect. 131. He that truly beleeveth he is justified by Christ must needs take comfort in the knowledge of Christ and rejoyce in him p. 675. There is comfort enough to bee found in Christ for the soule that is most afflicted p. 676. For 1 the knowledge of this that Christ hath purchased for us the pardon of all our sinnes is a most just and sufficient ground of comfort for 1 Sin is the cause of all other evills that befall us 2 Sin is that that maketh all evill bitter and painefull to us 3 If all the evills and miseries that are in the world should befall us they could not be so intolerable to us nor torment us so much as one sinne will do when God chargeth it upon us 4 Sinne is th' onely thing that separateth betweene us and God p. 677. 2 The knowledge of this that Christs perfect obedience and righteousnesse is imputed to us is a just and sufficient ground of true comfort Ibid. For 1 Even that inherent righteousnesse that God worketh in us by his Spirit is a just cause of comfort to us Ibid. 2 Adams righteousnesse wherewith God cloathed him in his creation was a robe that did greatly adorne him and was a great glory to him but the righteousnesse of Christ which is imputed to every true beleever is much more glorious 1 his was uncertaine ours by Christ is made more sure 2 his was in his owne keeping so is not ours p. 679. 3 his was but the righteousnesse of a man ours is the righteousnesse of God p. 680. Applic. Every humbled sinner should count this his great sinne that he cannot rejoyce more in Christ and check himselfe for it 1 Proleps he may and ought to rejoyce notwithstanding the multitude and greatnes of his afflictions p. 680. 2 Proleps and notwithstanding the heinousnesse of his old sins and present corruptions which hee yeeldeth not unto p. 681. 3
them that blame professors for their scrupulousnesse in indifferent and lawfull things 1 Oâ—e may see that to bee a sin which another more godly or learned then he cannot see neither should we judge one another for difference in judgement 2 Some good men may be more scrupulous then they ought to be and yet not to be despised 3 No cause we should judge one another for using or not using our liberty in indifferent things p. 715. Though we may hate the sins of professors yet its a dangerous thing to hate them for the goodnesse they professe Many hate professors not for their faults but for their goodnesse and three notes to discerne that by p. 716 717. Lect 138. The state of every hypocrite is most wofull and dangerous neither can he have any sound peace or comfort p. 718. Though in some respects the open profane sinner bee in worse case then he both in this life and in that to come Ibid. yet is the hypocrite also and every thing he does most odious unto God yea in some other respects his case is more wofull both in this life and in that to come then the open profane mans p. 719. It s a good signe in a Christian to doubt and suspect himselfe of hypocrisie Ibid. 1 He that lives in grosse sins and yet maketh a good profession is a grosse and palpable hypocrite p. 720. 2 Much more hee that maketh a good profession for this end chiefly that he may thereby the better hide and cloake his foule sins p 721. 3 He is also an hypocrite that maketh never so good a shew of godlinesse if he deny the power of it if hee obey not and practise what he heares Many of the best professors faile much in this p. 722. Even to our ministery so farre forth as we teach nothing but by good warrant of the Word obedience is due as well as to the ministery of the Prophets and Apostles p. 723 724. Lect. 139. He that lives in any one sinne though hee forsaketh all the rest and whose obedience is not universall is no better then an hypocrite p. 724. Sacriledge is a great sin Ibid. The care to keepe our selves unspotted of every sin is a sure signe of an upright heart p. 726. No hypocrite doth any thing with a good heart but upon some by respect or other p. 727. The true Christian even the poorest and weakest of them doth whatsoever he doth unto the Lord as a service to him his maine intent is to please and approve himselfe to him p. 728. Though he may have some respect to himselfe also in it Ibid. None can please God in any thing he doth unlesse he do it out of love to God neither can any love the Lord aright till hee know Christ is his p. 729. The goodnesse that is in the regenerate doth surpasse that that is in any morall man or hypocrite in three respect Ibid p. 730. Yet can no man have any true comfort in it till he know himselfe to be in Christ p. 730. Lect. 140. No man can be sanctified till he be justified p. 730. The only sure way to get strength against any corruption and obtaine any saving grace is first to get assurance by faith that our sins are pardoned and we reconciled to God in Christ Ibid. 1 faith is th' only inward instrument whereby the Spirit of God sanctifieth the heart p. 731. and th' outward instrument whereby the Spirit worketh sanctification in the heart of man is the preaching not of the law but of the Gospell p. 732. Th' only meanes to worke true mortification of sin is a justifying faith Ibid. Great is the force of faith to subdue and mortifie 1 covetousnesse 2 maliciousnesse 3 slâ—vish feare and 4 hardnesse of heart p. 733 736. Lect. 141. When a man is once by faith assured of Gods love then will he be renewed and become fruitfull in holinesse and righteousnesse and never till then p 737. For 1 faith receiveth Christ and maketh him our owne and they that have Christ must needs have his sanctifying Spirit also 2 Faith exerciseth it selfe in the meditation of Gods love to us in Christ and in apprehending the promises whereby God hath bound himselfe to give us sanctifying grace p. 738 739. Faith is the roâ—te and cause of all true 1 repentance 2 feare of God 3 obedience 4 love to God p. 740 742. It only enables a man 1 to heare well p. 742. 2 to pray well p. 743. Lect. 142. Necessary we should have signes given us in the Word whereby they to whom Christ merits belong may be knowne for many are apt to think they have title to him that have not yea a chiefe thing that keepes many from hungring after Christ is this conceit that he dyed for all men and therefore they shall have benefit by him p. 744. But this is a dangerous delusion for all shall not have benefit by him but few in comparison viz. 1. onely the true Church of Christ and that is but a very little flocke 2 Not all that live within the Church and professe the true religion but a few even of them Ibid. 3 Many that professe the true religion are so far from receiving benefit as they receive much hurt by him p. 745. The reason why so few shall have benefit by Christ is because how sufficient soever Christs death was to save all mankinde yet true beleevers onely shall receive benefit by it all men have not faith but a few onely Ibid. 1 al men by nature unable to beleeve 2 Some for their sins are smitten with a supernaturall inability to beleeve p. 746. It stands us therefore upon to know whether our selves are of that small number Ibid. Christ hath set a marke on his sheepe viz. his holy Spirit whereby themselves may know they are his p. 747. By certaine fruits and effects of the Spirit the faithfull may certainely know they have the spirit of Christ Ibid. Specially if they can finde in themselves true charity Ibid. 748. Lect. 143. Wee must love the persons of all men and expresse it in nine duties p. 748 751. We may pray for the worst even for Idolaters p. 751. We must love our enemies and expresse it in eight duties p. 752 753. This he that hath the Spirit of Christ is able to do Evangelically and that appeares in five things p. 754. We must beare a speciall love to all that feare God though they differ from us in judgement and practise about things indifferent p. 754 766. Lect. 144. He that hath the Spirit of Christ will bee constant in the religion of Christ p. 766. Yet is not all constancy in religion but constancy in the true religion a signe of the Spirit p. 767 True religion is that that 's grounded onely upon the Word Ibid. Every necessary truth in religion is so plainely set downe in the Word as the simplest Christian may clearely understand it p. 768. The testimony God
but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Rejoycing in hope saith the Apostle Rom. 12.12 patient in tribulation As though he should say The hope of this reward is able not onely to make you patient in any tribulation how great soever it may be but even comfortable and joyfull in it also O that all this that we have heard might through Gods gracious and mighty working with it become effectuall to make us all in love with Gods service O that we could count it our happinesse and honour to be admitted into it and thinke and say of it as David doth Psal. 65.4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy house and be one of thy houshold servants And 116.16 O Lord truly I am thy servant thy servant and the son of thine handmaid thou hast loosed my hands As if he had said I was a bondslave till I became thy servant but thou hast brought me out of that bondage and by making me thy servant hast loosed my bonds and made me a free man And then followeth verse 17. I will offer unto thee the sacrifice of thankesgiving As if hee should say I will praise thy name for this so long as I live Lecture XCII On Psalme 51.6 Iune 24. 1628. IT followeth now that we proceed to the third and last point which I propounded to handle in this first part of the application which concerneth those that refuse to serve God and to be religious and it is to shew the dangerous estate that they are in that doe so to reprove and terrifie all wicked men specially such as live in the Church and under the meanes of grace We have heard in the handling of this third and last note of an upright heart That if there be in a man but an unfeigned desire to be saved and to please God he is accepted of God he hath certainely truth of saving grace in him That no man is rejected of God no man shall perish that hath in him a true desire to be saved and to please God This point if it be well considered is of great force to humble all naturall men to take all excuse from them and to make them ashamed of themselves For what goodnesse can there be in that man that hath not in him so much as a desire to be good What can that man pretend why he should not be most justly condemned and cast into hell that never had in him a true desire to be saved and to flie from the wrath to come And surely thus it is with every wicked man that liveth in the Church and under the meanes of grace to that man I may boldly say thou canst not repent nor leave thy sinnes because thou dost not desire to repent and forsake thy sinnes thou hast no grace because thou dost not desire grace thou canst not beleeve because thou dost not desire to beleeve thou shalt perish everlastingly because thou hast no true desire nor will to be saved Wicked men are apt and ever have beene blasphemously to impute all this wholly unto the Lord and his will to cast all upon God and to say of their future estate I shall doe as it pleaseth God if it be the will of God and he have so decreed I shall be saved if it be otherwise how can I helpe it And of their present estate if God would give me the grace I should be better then I am and till then how should I mend Thus did our first father plead for himselfe so soone as ever he was fallen from God The woman saith he Gen. 3.12 which thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did eate As if he had said I may thanke thee for that that I have done If thou hadst not given me this woman I had never sinned And thus did the unprofitable servant pleade for himselfe Matth. 25.14 I know thou art an hard maâ— reaping where thou never sowedst As though he had said Exacting fruit of holinesse and obedience where thou didst never bestow the seed of grace And thus the Apostle bringeth in wicked men objecting against the Lord Rom. 9 19. Why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted his will As if he had said How can I justly be blamed or punished for being as I am if it be the will of God I shall be no better How can I be said to be the cause of mine owne damnation when it is the decree and will of God that I should perish But as I told you these are but the pleas and pretences of wicked men These pleas will not hold Certainely as God is not the cause of any mans sinne but himselfe as the Apostle teacheth us Iam. 1.13 14. Let no man say As if he had said I know men are apt to say so but it is folly and sinne for a man to say when he is tempted or moved to any sinne I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted of evill neither tempteth he any man but every man is tempted when he is drawne away of his owne lust and enticed So neither is God the cause of mans destruction but himselfe It is the fruit of his owne way as the Holy Ghost speaketh Pro. 1.31 And as of every temporall crosse that befalleth a man in this life of what kind soever it be a man may justly smite himselfe upon the breast and say to his owne heart as the Lord speaketh Ier. 2.17 Hast thou not procured this to thy selfe He may truly say Whatsoever hand God or man had in this evill that is befaâ—len me I am sure I was the chiefe cause of it my selfe so may it truly be said to every wicked man of his spirituall and eternall death and destruction as the Lord speaketh to Israel Hos. 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in mee is thy helpe that is though thou canst not save thy selfe nor worke any goodnesse in thy selfe that must come wholly from my meere grace By grace are ye saved through faith saith the Apostle Ephes. 2.8 and that not of your selves it is the gift of God yet thou hast destroyed thy selfe thou art thy selfe the cause why thou hast no grace why thou canst not repent nor leave thy grosse sinnes why thou canst not beleeve nor take any comfort in Christ why thou shalt be damned and perish everlastingly Yea how apt soever men are now to plead thus for themselves and to impute all unto God there will come a day when as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 3.19 every mouth shall be stopped and all the world shall become guilty before God No man shall have any such thing to say for himselfe but shall cleare the Lord he shall cry guilty and acknowledge himselfe to have beene the onely cause of his owne destruction The bookes shall be opened as the Apostle speaketh Revel 20.12 the bookes of
by his sin did to men even his owne subjects and servants though he were a King did ought to trouble him p. 217. Even the consideration of the evill consequents and punishments of sin should make us feare hate and mourne for sin p. 218. and the consideration of the hurt we have done to other by out sin specially by making our selves guilty of the bloud of their soules which is done three waies p. 219 Yet the consideration of the offence and dishonour done to God by it is the chiefe thing should make us hate and mourne for sin Ibid p. 220. Lect 44. For 1 Every sinne is a transgression of the law of God an offence against him p. 220. 2 By every sin we despise the Lord and do an injury and contempt unto him p. 221. 3 The Lord whom we do this offence unto 1 is present every where and privy to all our waies 2 Infinite in holinesse and hatred of sin p. 222. 3 Infinite in greatnesse and majesty p. 223. Lect. 45. 4 Infinite in goodnesse and bounty towards us This expressed six waies in the things that concerne this life p. 224 225. and three waies in the things which concerne our soules viz our redemption conversion perseverance p. 225 226. The sinning against so good a God should most trouble us p. 227. Lect. 46. No sinne is small or lightly to be accounted of as appeares 1 By the father that begets and engendreth it in us 2 By the punishment that the righteous God hath inflicted upon the least sin p. 228. 3 By the price whereby we were redeemed from the least sir. â— By the person whom by the least sin wee doe contempt unto p. 229. Yet are some far greater then others viz. as are most directly committed against God p. 230. 1 Sins of the highest degree against the first Table 2 Sins against knowledge p 231. 3 Sins of such as are of speciall note for profession p. 232. Sincerity of repentance to be judged by 1 our sorrow for and forsaking of sin chiefly for this cause because God is offended and dishonoured by it 2 When our sorrow for sin and forsaking of it groweth from faith Ibid. Lect. 47. Take heed of giving liberty to our selves to commit any sin or making light account of it when wee have committed it upon this conceit that it is but a small sin three Motives to this p. 233 234. Yet doth not this precisenesse make the yoake of Christ intollerable p. 235. None are to be blamed for being precise in small matters 1 Though there be a precisenesse in small matters that is to be blamed as a certaine signe of hypocrisie p. 236. 2 Yet all precisenesse even in small matters is not to be blamed Ibid. for 1 We may not commit the least sin for preventing the greatest danger 2 Nor for the preventing of a far greater sin 3 We may not dare to do ought that we see cause to doubt God hath forbidden p. 237. How to carry our selves towards them whom we thinke too precise in trifles Ibid. Lect 48. The Lord must be justified in whatsoever he hath spoken How the Lord speaketh to his people and how he is justified therein p. 238. 1 We must undoubtedly beleeve and give credit to every thing God hath spoken p. 239. 2 We must also approve it as most just equall without all murmuring against it 3 We must receive take to heart and submit our selves to â—t p. 240. Because 1 of the authority of the Speaker 2 because all spoken for our good p. 241. Though it be not a signe of a faithlesse heart 1 Not to beleeve that which the best man teacheth till we have tryed it Ibid. 2 to make questions and mooâ—e doubts of something wee read and heare 3 to have sometime thoughts of infidelity and atheisme p. 242. yet it s a dangerous signe 1 not to bee able to beleeve the Word nor troubled with infidelity Ibid. 2 to gaine say and dispute against the Word 3 not to endure the word of reproofe p 243. 4 to take nothing to heart that they heare p. 244. Lect 49. Davids meaning in these words That thou mightest bee cleere when thou judgest p. 244. The humbled sinner will cleere in Lord from all aspersion of injustice or extreamity in any of his judgements inflicted on himselfe or others p 245. Foure degrees of this passive obedience 1. We may not in word or thought murmure against any of them p. 245. 2 We must give testimony to the righteousness of them 3 We must bee willing to beare them patiently p. 246 247. 4 Even in those wee can conceive no just cause or reason of p. 247. Reasons of this 1 respects the judge himselfe Ibid. 2 them that are judged and corrected by him p. 248. Lect. 50. We have all need to seeke the grace of patience for 1 Crosses daily to be looked for 2 we in this land have cause to looke for evill times 3 a very difficult thing to the flesh to beare crosses well p. 250. Notes of true patience 1 its a fruit effect of repentance and humiliation 2 and of faith 3 and of our obedience p. 251 4 It maketh us willing to beare that crosse whatsoever it be that God seeth sit to exercise us by 5 It maketh a man more desirous to profit by his affliction then to be rid of it 6 It maketh a man unwilling to ease himselfe of his crosse by unlawfull meanes 252. 7 It will moderate our passions and make us meeke spirited even towards men p. 253. Lect. 51. Motives unto patience 1 Every childe of God must looke for aâ—â—liction even for much affliction no possibility of going to heaven but this way p. 253. 2 We can no way ease our selves by impatiency but make our crosse more grievous but the contrary by patience in three respects p. 254 255. 3 God hath a speciall hand in all our crosses this consideration hath great force to preserve from feare of troubles and to keepe us from fainting under them p. 256. For he doth afflict us alwaies in love as appeares in five points 1 He doth it not willingly but when need requires 2 The end he aimeth at is to doe us good yea some speciall good that could not otherwise be done p. 257. 3 He will recompense whatsoever loffe wee sustaine by it p. 258. 4 He moderates all our afflictions both for time and measure 5 He will bee with them in their affliction to strengthen and comfort them p. 259. Lect. 52. Meanes 1 Thinke often of the evill day and prepare for it p. 260. These thoughts would 1 keepe us from surfeting of our pleasures 2 restraine us from sin 3 make affliction lesse bitter to us when it shall come p. 261. A great mercy that God giveth us such warnings p. 262. 2 Weane thy heart before hand from the love of earthly things Ibid. 3 Acquaint thy selfe well before hand with the Word p. 263. 4
of it in our hearts Deut. 4.39 Know therefore this day saith Moses and consider it in thine heart David was much given to this Psal. 119.15 I will meditate in thy precepts The blessed Virgin is commended for this Luk. 2.19 All the things she heard concerning Christ she kept them and pondered them in her â—eart This is enjoyned as a duty most necessary to this purpose Esa 46.8 Bring it againe to minde O ye transgressors For 1. This would argue a love to that we heare and a delight in it Psal. 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in that law doth he meditate day and night and 119.97 O how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day 2. This would greatly increase our comfort in the Word and cause us to feele more sweetnesse in it as the chawing of our meate makes us tast more sweetnesse in it Psal. 119.15 16. I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy waies I will delight my selfe in thy statutes 3. This would greatly increase and confirme our knowledge Psal. 119.99 I have more understanding then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation 4. This would cause the Word to have more power in our hearts to draw us to practise and to nourish and increase the life of godlinesse in us As meat though it be never so good never so well dressed nourisheth us not but is rather a burden then benefit unto us if our stomack cannot concoct and digest it so it is with the food of our soules Iosh. 1.8 Thou shalt meditate in the law day and night that thou maist observe to do according to all that is written therein How then should the Word you heare doe you good when you never thinke of it after you have once heard it It is noted of the Disciples that though they had seene Christs mighty power in the miracles of the loaves yet their faith was never the stronger but upon every new tentation and occasion of feare they were extreamely troubled and that this was the cause of it Mar. 6.52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves for their heart was hardned They had seene that miracle and it may be also remembred it but they had not considered and meditated of it and therefore they were never the better for it Thirdly you must conferre of that which you have heard and repeate it among your selves 1. It is often spoken of in Scripture as a duty wee owe to God and his Word to speake of it unto others Psal. 119.172 My tongue shall speake of thy Word for all thy commandements are righteousnesse Yea this is noted as a speciall use we should make of our reading and hearing of the Word to speake of it unto others it must not be in our heart onely but in our mouth too Iosh. 1.8 This booke of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth And that which is said of the Priest Mal. 2.7 that his lips should keepe knowledge is said likewise of every one that truly feares God Pro. 5.2 My son attend unto my wisdome and bow thine eare unto mine understanding that thy lips may keepe knowledge 2. You that go home together from the Sermon should make this use of your company to conferre together of that which you have heard as they did Luk. 24.14 3. Yea you should all count it a benefit to have a companion you may conferre with about that which you have heard Christs Disciples used it much When Christ had taught how hard it was for rich men to be saved it is said Mar. 10.26 They were astonished out of measure and said among themselves who then can be saved The like you shall find spoken of their conferring among themselves of another Sermon of our Saviours Ioh. 16.17 18. Yea it is reported of other of his hearers too besides his Disciples that they did use to conferre among themselves of that which he had taught Ioh. 7 35 36. 4. But chiefly this is required of you that have families that you repeate unto them examine them conferre with them about that which they have heard For this we have a plaine commandment Deut. 11.18 19. Ye shall lay up these my words in your heart-and yee shall teach them your children speaking of them when thou sittest in thy house c. Yea it is said to be a chiefe thing that the Lord had respect unto in giving us his Word and vouchsafing to us the knowledge of it that we might instruct our families in it Deut. 4.10 Gather me the people together and I will make them to â—eare my words that they may learne to feare me and that they may teach their children According to that proverbe Mat. 5.15 Men do not light a candle to put it under a bushell but on a candle-sticke and it giveth light to all that are in the house For this we have an example which above all others we should desire to follow even the practise of our blessed Saviour himselfe who though he spent himselfe so much in his publique labours yet did use to conferre with his family of the Sermons hee had made to examine them and make all things plainer to them Mat. 13.51 Have ye understood all these things And Mar. 4.34 When they were alone he expounded all things to his Disciples This repeating and conferring of that wee have heard would certainely greatly further our profiting by the Word In this that proverbe will be found true as much as in any other thing Eccl. 4.9 Two are better then one We may all in this kinde receive helpe one from another even he that is stronger in knowledge and grace from another that is weaker then himselfe is Yea God is so pleased with it that a blessing may be expected from God in the use of it It is said of the two Disciples that went toward Emmaus Luke 24. â—5 That whâ—le they communed together and reasoned Iesus himselfe drew neare and went with them And againe that when they went to relate to the Apostles that they had seene him and what he had said to them and the Apostles and they were conferring of this matter it is said Luk. 24.36 That as they spake Iesus himselfe stood in the midst of them Foure speciall benefits certainely you might reape by it First It would make your children and servants to marke better then they do what they heare if they knew they should be examined when they came home The Disciples of our Saviour were so diligent and watchfull in hearing that hee commends them for it Mat. â—3 16 Blessed are your eares for they heare And what made them so attentive Surely this was one cause that they knew their master was wont to examine them as you heard Mat. 13. â—1 Secondly It would much helpe and confirme both your families and your selves also in the understanding and beleeving of that which hath beene taught you if you would thus repeate
all thy getting get understanding For riches and honor are with her yea durable riches and righteousnesse Pro. 8.18 and 2. thou that hast ever felt the worke of grace comfort of Gods spirit in thy selfe mayest boldly from thy former experience conclude as David doth Psalme 23. â— Surely goodnes and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever Iohn 8.35 The servant abideth not in the house for ever but the sonne doth Though my love to God be changeable yet Gods love to me is not Esa. 64.5 In those is continuance and we shall be saved Though therefore the comforter have withdrawne himselfe from thee for a time be sure he will returne againe and therefore wait for him And that which the Prophet saith of his vision may fitly be applyed to this purpose Hab. 2.3 Though it tarry wait for it for it will surely come it will not tarry hee meaneth one moment longer then the appointed time the fittest time Resolve with thy selfe as the Prophet doth Esay 8.17 I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Iacob even from his owne chosen people sometimes and I will looke for him Certainely of this sicknesse of thy soule I may say to thee as Christ did of Lazarus Iohn 11.4 this sicknesse is not unto death thou shalt surely recover it thy sorrow shall be turned into joy as our Saviour hath promised Iohn 16.20 The third direction is this Thou must well examine thy present estate and thou shalt find that though the spirit of adoption seeme to be gone and thou canst not find that worke of the spirit in thy selfe yet the spirit of sanctification abideth still in thee and if thou wilt well examine thy selfe thou shalt find that worke of the spirit in thee 1 Iohn 2.17 The annointing which ye hâ—ve received of him abideth in you and 3.9 Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne that is as other men doe or as himselfe did before for his seed remaineth in him Examine thy heart well and thou shalt find evident notes of this First Thou art afraid to doe anything that thou knowest would offend God and whence commeth that from flesh and bloud No no of every naturall man the Apostle pronounceth Rom. 3.18 There is no feare of God before his eyes Secondly Thou lovest all that feare God and this is a certaine signe Gods spirit abideth in thee 1 Iohn 3.13 14. Marveâ— not my â—rethren though the world hate you wee know that wee have passed from death to life because wee love the Brethren Thirdly even in this case wherein now thou art thou prayest still and darest not neglect that duty as David did Psalme 31.22 I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes neverthelesse thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cryed unto thee Even then I plyed thee with supplications and 61.2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed And whence commeth this I pray you Surely these prayers of all others proceed from the spirit as the Apostle teacheth Romans 8.26 The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what wee should pray for as wee ought but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot bee uttered Fourthly thou lovest God though he doe hide his face and frowne on thee yea this very sorrow and anguish thou art in is a certaine Symptome and signe of thy love to God that is the cause that is the roote of it thou couldest not bee troubled as thou art with this that thou wantest the sense of Gods love if thou didst not dearely love him Certainely thou art sicke of love as the Church was Canticles 2.5 When Christ withdrew himselfe a while from her and shee sought him so carefully shee bewrayeth and could not conceale this to be the cause of her griefe Cant 3.1 2 3. I â—ought him whom my soule loveth I will go into the city and seeke him whom my soule loveth I said unto the watch-men saw ye him whom my soule loveth And whence came it that Mary wept so Luke 7.47 She loved much And whence commeth this I pray thee that thou so lovest the Lord From flesh and bloud No no this can come from nothing but from Gods spirit saving grace as is plaine by that question thrice moved to Peter Ioh. 21.15 17. Dost thou love me And by that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.3 If any man love God the same is knowne of him Fiftly and lastly Thou dost at the least unfainedly desire to feare God and to love him and to call upon him and to love his children and it is a great griefe and trouble to thy heart that thou canst not doe it better To will is present with thee as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7.18 Certainely this change that is wrought in thy will these unfained desires of grace doe prove evidently that the spirit of God dwelleth in thee Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure And Nehe. 1.11 Nehemiah proveth himselfe to be Gods servant even by this note because hee desired to feare Gods name Now from these five notes of Gods spirit dwelling in thee thou mayest infallibly inferre these conclusions for the recovering of thy comfort 1. That thou hast faith and art thereby united unto Christ. 1 Iohn 3.24 Hereby we know that hee abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us And 4.13 Hereby wee know that wee dwell in him and he in us because hee hath given us of his spirit As the naturall spirit is in no member that is not united to the head so can the spirit of sanctification bee in none that is not by faith knit unto Christ our head as the Apostle applyeth this comparison Ephesians 4.16 And our Saviour Iohn 15.4 As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe unlesse it abide in the Vine no more can yee except ye abide in me 2. That thou hast just cause to bee comfortable thou hast the roote and ground of sound comfort in thy selfe Psalme 32.11 Bee glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart 3. That it is thy great sin for which thou hast just cause to checke and blame thy selfe that thou art not more thankefull that thou rejoycest no more in thine estate Is it thinkest thou 〈◊〉 blessing or a common blessing to have Christ to have Gods spirit dwelling in thee to have this blessed change wrought in thy soule Paul giveth thankes for this Romans 6.17 God bee thanked that ye were the servants of sinne but ye have obeyed from the heart that forme of Doctrine that was delivered unto you And 1 Thessal 3.9 What thankes can we render to God againe for you for all the joy wherewith we rejoyce for your sakes before our
us in his word without all reasoning against it we must justifie the Lord in whatsoever he hath spoken The second degree wherein God must be justified in whatsoever hee hath spoken is this We must not onely beleeve every thing to be undoubtedly true which God hath spoken but also allow and approve of it as most just and equall without all murmuring against it See the truth of this 1 in the word of Doctrine and of all those truths that God hath revealed to us in his word Psal. 19.9 The judgements of the Lord by which he meaneth the whole word not the law onely as appeareth plainely by the effect of them mentioned vers 10. are true and not so onely but righteous altogether According to that which the Lord speaketh of them Pro. 8.8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousnesse there is nothing that is froward or perverse in them There is not one Doctrine taught nothing appointed but it is most holy and pure and good Thus must we justifie the Lord in whatsoever he hath spoken 2 In the word of precept even those commandements of God which are most against us and those corruptions that are strongest in us So speaketh David Psal. 119.128 I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right And Paul Rom. 7.12 The law is holy and the commandement is holy and just and good 3 So must we also justifie the Lord in all his reproofes and threatnings how sharpe soever they have beene So did the King and Princes of Iuda when they were sharply reproved and menaced by Semajah the Prophet they replyed not nor fretted against the Prophet but confessed 2 Chron. 12.6 The Lord is righteous And Hezekiah when Esay dealt roundly with him in the name of the Lord for shewing all his treasures to the King of Babilons Embassadours 2 King 20.19 Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken Yea the Lord requireth this of all his people that they say Amen and set their seale to every curse of his law and that upon paine of his eternall curse Deut. 27.26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law and all the people shall say Amen The third and last degree wherein God must be justified in whatsoever hee hath spoken is this we must receive take to heart and submit our selves to the word in all things So it is said of Iohns hearers Luk. 7.29 30. All the people that heard him and the publicans justified God being baptized with the baptisme of Iohn they tooke to heart the things that God spake by him and submitted themselves to Gods ordinance in his ministery but the Pharisees and Lawyers that did not so rejected the counsell of God against themselves See this 1 in the word of doctrine Of Peters hearers it is said that they received the Word with gladnesse Acts 2.41 they found sweetnesse in it Every truth revealed in the Word is sweet to a good heart Psal. 119.103 O how sweet are thy words unto my tast yea sweeter then any hony unto my mouth 2 See it also in the word of precept Though we be not able to obey some commandements of God exactly and in all points yet must we love all Gods commandements and delight in them and be glad God hath given us such lawes to curb our corruptions and to guide us and we must endeavour to keepe them As Paul speaketh of himselfe Rom. 7.22 I delight in the law of God in my inner man 3 See this in the word of promise We must not onely beleeve every promise to bee true but we must be affected with Gods promises and take comfort in them So Paul speaketh of the faithfull Heb. 11.13 Having seene the promises concerning Christ a farre off and being perswaded of them they embraced them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kissed them and hugd them 4 and lastly See this in the word of reproofe and threatning we must be moved and affected with the rebukes and menaces of the word So it is said of Noah when God had revealed to him his purpose for the destruction of the world Heb. 11.7 He was moved with feare and prepared the arke for the saving of his house And of Iosiah 2 Chron. 34.27 That his heart was tender and he did humble himselfe before God when he heard the law but read and what God had threatned to bring upon that place The reasons and grounds of this Doctrine why we should in this manner justifie the Lord in whatsoever he speaketh even by his servants and Ministers to beleeve it as most true to allow of it and subscribe to it as most just righteous and consequently to take it to heart and submit our selves to it are two The first respecteth the speaker himselfe It is the Lord saith Ely 1 Sam. 3.18 when Samuel a child declared to him what God had threatned to bring upon him and his house As if he had said It becommeth me to beleeve this it becommeth me not to murmur against it it becommeth me to humble submit my selfe unto it It is the Lord. In every truth that is taught us in every commandement that is pressed upon us in every reproofe that is given us in every threat that is denounced against us if it be done by warrant of the Word whosoever the messenger be it is the Lord that speaketh unto us as David heere acknowledgeth in that that was spoken by Nathan It is God that cryeth out against us and our sinnes in the ministery of his Word the preachers are but his voice as Iohn the Baptist saith Iohn 1.23 And it becommeth us all to justifie God when he speaketh How shall we escape saith the Apostle Heb. 12.25 if we turne away from him that speaketh from heaven The second reason respecteth the things themselves that are spoken For whatsoever the Lord hath spoken in his Word be it doctrine or commandement or reproofe or threat it is spoken in love to all his people and it is for our good that he hath spoken as he hath done Doe not my words saith the Lord Mic. 2.7 do good to him that walketh uprightly As if God should say Is there any thing in all my Word that is not wholsome and profitable unto my people This moved Hezekiah to receive that sharpe message so well 2 King 20.19 Good is the Word of the Lord which thou hast spoken The use that this Doctrine serveth unto is for reproofe principally For this is a common sinne yea a mother sinne and cause of most other sinnes that men do not justifie God when he speaketh give not that honour to the Word of God that is due unto it Foure sorts of men especially there be that offend this way First Such as though they heare and read the Word ordinarily yet give not credit unto it but after many yeares enjoying of the Word are not fully perswaded of many truths many articles of the faith that are clearely
endure for us Iohn 18.11 The cup which my father hath given me shall I not drinke When we are once assured God is our father wee shall be made well content to take the bitterest potion from his hand And thus doth the holy Apostle reason Rom. 5. for when he had said that being justified by saith wee are able even to glory in tribulations hee giveth this for the reason of it verse 5. Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost that is given unto us As if hee had said When once the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts and soaketh into them so as we have a comfortable sense and feeling of it how can we choose but beare tribulations patiently and even glory in them Thirdly and lastly Faith maketh the heart that hath it undoubtedly certaine of those promises God hath made to his people in their afflictions of which we heard when I spake of the motives unto this duty as namely 1. That they shall tend to our good in the end Heb. 12.10 Hee correcteth us for our profit And 2. that in the meane time he will not forsake us in them but assist and support us Psal. 91.15 I will be with him in trouble I will deliver and honour him These promises I say faith maketh the heart certaine of Heb. 11.1 Faith is the evidence of things not seene And he that is sure of these promises how can he choose but beare affliction patiently And say with David Psal. 56.4 In God will I praise his word as if he should say I will praise God for his word and promise And what followeth in the same verse In God have I put my trust I will not feare what flesh can doe unto me Let me apply this briefly 1. By way of exhortation 2. By way of comfort First Seeing faith will stand us in that stead in the evill day and yeeld us that strength and comfort in all afflictions it standeth us upon to get it in time and to looke well to our selves that that faith we thinke we have be such as will abide the tryall in the fornace of affliction such as will not deceive us in the evill day It is the exhortation of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith prove your owne selves For alas if we have no true faith no sound assurance that we are in Christ when death shall come when the troublesome time of persecution when the sword of the bloody enemy shall come what shall we doe How shall we be able to beare it What patience what comfort can wee looke to have in that day 1. Extreame affliction is wont to awaken the conscience and set it on worke to bring a mans sins to his remembrance that he never thought of nor was troubled with before As you have heard from the example of Iosephs brethren Gen. 42.21 And what will quiet the conscience when it falleth on brawling and exclaiming upon a man Certainly nothing but faith that sprinkleth the bloud of Christ upon it as the Apostle teacheth us Heb 9.13 14. 2. In the evill day Satan will be apt to cast into mens soules his darts of desperation his fiery darts as the Apostle calleth them And what is it that will quench these darts Surely nothing but faith as the Apostle teacheth Ephe. 6.16 Above all take the shield of faith whereby yee shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of that wicked one Let us therfore looke well to our faith sith our patience and comfort in affliction dependeth so much upon it Two notes I will give you to try it by First By the meanes and manner how it was wrought in thee How camest thou by it Did the Lord worke it in thee by the ministery of his word Did thy saith come by hearing Rom. 10.17 Canst thou say that before ever Christ came into thy heart Iohn Baptist came before him to prepare his way Mark 1.2 That the ministery of the law that effectually discovered thy sins and miserable condition unto thee was thy schoolemaster to bring thee to Christ Gal. 3.24 That before the Lord spake peace to thy heart by the still soft and sweete voice of his Gospel he prepared thy heart to receive it as he did Eliahs 1 Kin. 19.11 12. by great terrour This is certainly the ordinary way whereby God bringeth his elect to faith If thou came not to thy faith this way but in some other more extraordinary manner as I doe not deny but it is possible thou mightest for who can limit the holy one of Israel Psal. 78 41. or tye him to certaine rules thou hast the more cause to suspect it and to try it the more diligently by the second note and that is this Secondly Try it by the effects of it in thy selfe How hath thy faith thou sayest thou hast in Iesus Christ wrought with thee What change hath it made in thee Wee have all of us very lately renewed our faith and made solemne profession of it and confirmed it in the holy Sacrament In it we have by faith fed upon the Lord Iesus or els that bread we did eate at the Lords Table will be as gravell betweene our teeth one day as Solomon speaketh in another case Prov. 20.17 that cup we drunke of there will be as a cup of deadly poison unto us As therefore I exhorted you the last day to examine your selves well before you went to the Lords table so do I now exhort you to an after examination of your selves Hast thou Indeed by faith fed upon the Lord Iesus so lately Then certainly 1. Thou shalt find some abatement of the strength of thy corruptions and lusts Where Christ is by faith received he will purifie the heart Act. 15.9 The woman that had the bloody issue when she had by faith touched but the border of his garment she felt such vertue comming from him as dryed up stanched the issue of blood as you shall find Luke 8.44 And is it possible that wee should have by faith not only touched his garment but eaten and drunke his very body and bloud and yet feele no vertue at all come from him to dry up the fountaine of our corruption but it runneth as fresh and freely as ever it did 2. If thou hast by faith fed upon the Lord Iesus some increase of spirituall strength to resist tentation and to walke in Gods wayes is wrought in thy foule by it Didst thou ever with a good appetite eate thy corporall food but thou receivedst some refreshing and strength by it Arise and eate saith God to Eliah the second time 1 Kin. 19.7 8. for thou hast a great journey to goe and he arose and did eate and drinke and went in the strength of that meat fourty dayes and forty nights And is there not as much vertue in the body blood of Christ being fed upon by faith to give and increase
knoweth Christ to have dyed for him cannot but cast off and renounce his lusts and corruptions This is that also which the Prophet teacheth Zach. 12.10 I will powre upon them the spirit of grace and they shall looke upon mee whom they have pierced and they shall mourne aboundantly It is the spirit of grace onely that maketh a man able to know and beleeve aright that his sins pierced Christ that Christ in all that hee suffered had speciall respect unto him nothing but the spirit of grace maketh a man able to looke upon Christ whom he hath pierced to consider it to be moved with admiration and astonishment at this wonderfull love of his But when once the spirit of grace hath made a man to know and beleeve and consider this it must needs affect the heart much and make him mourne for his sins aboundantly it must needs worke in him a loathing of his sins and a resolution to set himselfe against them O that all wee that say wee know and beleeve that Christ loved us and dyed for us would thinke seriously of this Certainely thou that sayest so and findest no force in this assurance to mortifie sin in thee and to strengthen thee against thy corruptions deceivest thine owne soule and hast no true assurance that Christ bare such love to thee as to endure so much for thy sake Hereby wee know that wee know him to bee a propitiation for our sins saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 2.3 4. if wee keepe his commandements He that saith I know him to bee a propitiation for my sins for that is the knowledge of Christ he speaketh of as appeareth verse 2. and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Hee is a ranke hypocrite and void of all truth of grace how faire a shew soever hee make in the Church of God O fearefull sentence against the most of such as say they have faith And so much shall suffice to have bin spoken of the first reason why true faith must needs mortifie corruption wheresoever it dwelleth it applyeth Christ particularly to every one that hath it The second reason of it is this because true faith joyneth and uniteth us unto Christ. This union that faith maketh betweene us and Christ is indeed mysticall and spirituall Yea this is a great mistery as the Apostle calleth it Ephes. 5.32 But though it bee mysticall and supernaturall yet it is most true and reall a most neere and unspeakeable union that faith maketh betweene Christ and every beleeving soule as neere as betweene husband and wife Ephes. 5.23 as betweene the head and the members Ephes. 1.22 23. as betweene the vine and the branches Iohn 15.5 By faith we receive him and make him our owne Iohn 1.12 Nay we feed upon him and make him our owne as the meat we eate which is turned into our substance is made our owne Iohn 6.35 By faith hee dwelleth in us Ephes. 3.17 By faith wee are grafted into him Rom. 11.23 Now if faith do so joyne us unto Christ and make such an union betweene us and him it is not possible but it must needs mortifie and kill sin in us Wee cannot bee thus joyned unto Christ but wee must needs receive vertue and power from him his spirit must needs bee derived from him unto us He that is joyned unto the Lord saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.17 is one spirit The law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus saith the Apostle Rom. 8.2 hath made me free from the law of sin and of death The spirit of Christ must needs free him from the dominion of sinne that is thus by faith united to him And therefore to conclude this second point Certainly that man in whom sin reigneth still in whom the strength of his naturall corruption is not at all abated is not united unto Christ and consequently hath no true faith in him If wee say we have fellowship with him saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 1.6 and walke in darkenes we lye and do not the truth Lecture LXVII on Psalme 51.5 Aug. 14. 1627. THE third and last point which hath beene propounded for the more distinct handling of the last means of mortification is this He that desireth to get strength against any corruption must not content himselfe to have faith but hee must exercise and make use of his faith in this worke The most of us loose much of the benefit and comfort wee might find in our faith because wee doe not make use of it nay the cause why wee find it so weake and feeble to stand us in any stead when wee have most need of it for our comfort is because wee have not beene wont to exercise it and put it into action We have an old proverbe Vse legs and have legs and experience teacheth that the neglect of exercising the body is a great meanes to weaken it much This may every whit as truly bee said of the graces of Gods spirit exercise them by practise and they will increase neglect to exercise them and they will decay in thee To every one that hath saith our Saviour in the parable of the talents Mat. 25.29 that is that by making use of it and imploying it doth shew that hee hath grace more shall bee given and bee shall have aboundance but from him that hath not shall bee taken away even that which hee hath The Apostle commending the Thessalonians saith 1 Thess. 1.3 hee remembred their worke of faith their faith was ever in action ever exercising it selfe And what is the proper worke and act wherein faith exerciseth it selfe Surely in taking hold of the promises that God hath made unto us in Christ in applying them unto our selves and resting upon them Thus must wee exercise our faith if we would have it grow if wee would have the comfort of it The Apostle saith of all the faithfull 2 Cor. 5.7 that they walke by faith In our whole conversation we may and ought to make use of our faith And of himselfe he saith that hee did live by his faith The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God saith he Galat. 2.20 In all the occasions of our life we may and should exercise our faith and we loose a great deale of sweetnesse and comfort because we doe not so But in no occasion of our life can we have more use of our faith then when wee are troubled with any strong corruption which wee would faine overcome and get the mastery of Let us come then to Christ and stirre up our selves to take hold of him and confidently expect and looke for helpe and strength from him against it and wee may bee sure to bee delivered from the dominion of it Through God wee shall doe valiantly saith David Psal. 108.13 for hee it is that shall tread downe our enemies And Phil 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Wee read
this naturall weakenesse there is a sinfull weakenesse also in the best of Gods children even weaknesse of faith which maketh them subject not to naturall feares onely but to sinfull feares also There is much lacking in their faith as the Apostle said of the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 3.10 And this is a chiefe cause of all their feares Why are ye fearefull ô ye of little faith saith our Saviour to his Disciples Mat. 8.16 pointing at the chiefe cause of all our feare When are apt to doubt of Gods favour and of the pardon of our sinnes and who can choose but bee much disquieted in his heart with â—eare when he doubteth of Gods favour When the Prophet complained Psal. 88.15 While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted he telleth us verse 14. what was the cause of those terrours he felt in himselfe Lord why castest thou off my soule why hidest thou thy face from me Hee could not be perswaded of Gods love hee thought God had cast him of And can you wonder then though his heart were full of terrour The second cause of these feares is the Lord himselfe Certainely his holy hand is to be acknowledged in this kinde of affliction as well as in any other These feares are therefore called the Lords terrours Psal. 88.15 and 2 Cor. 5.11 because they come from him And the Lord seeth it to bee good and profitable many waies for sundry of his servants to bee much exercised by them 1. This maketh them carefull by repentance to purge themselves from all their knowne sinnes So the Lord speaketh of the feare which they that travell by sea are in when they see the strange breaches which the whale by his rising doth make in the sea Iob 4â— 25 When he raiseth up himselfe the mighty and most stout hearted are afraid by reason of his breakings they purifie themselves As wee see the mariners that carryed Ionah did Ionah 1.5 The mariners were afraid and cryed every man to his God Every one sought to make his peace with God in the best manner that he could This effect wee know feare usually hath even in all men but much more certainely in Gods children 2. This keepeth them humble fearefull to sinne tractable and willing to obey God in all things This is also a naturall effect of feare to abate the pride of mans heart and to make it humble and tractible Put them in feare ô Lord saith David Psal. 9.20 that the nations may know themselves to bee but men Certainely if the Lord should not now and then visit them with inward terrours and gripes there be many in the world would even forget themselves to be men But this effect it hath in Gods children especially O that there were such a heart in them saith the Lord of his people Deut. 5.29 that they would feare me keepe my commandements alwaies As if he had said Now they are fearefull to offend me in any thing now they are willing to doe any thing I would have them as they protested verse 27. But when was that Surely when by seeing the law delivered in that terrible manner they were brought into a wonderfull feare 3. Lastly This prepareth them and maketh them fit to receive comfort from God Thus the Lord hath beene wont to prepare his servants whom he meant to give most comfort unto Before the Lord delivevered that large and comfortable promise unto Abram Gen. 15.13 21. it is said verse 12. Loe an horrour of great darknesse fell upon him Before Elijah could heare that still and small voice that spake so much comfort unto him concerning himselfe and the whole Church the Lord first affrighted him with a great and strong wind that rent the mountaines and brake the rockes in pieces and then by an earthquake and after that by a fire 1 King 19.11 12. hee deepely humbled him by feare and terrour first that he might prepare and make him fit to receive that comfort You see then that this may bee the case of them that are most upright hearted and such as truly love the Lord they may bee much subject to these feares And this is the first thing I told you I had to say for the comfort of such poore soules The second is this That it is not onely possible that thou maist love God unfeignedly though thou be so subject to these terrours but even while thou art in this case thou hast evident signes in thee that thou dost so and if thou couldst observe thine owne heart well thou wouldst be able to discerne that thou dost love God indeed For First Thou desirest Gods favour above all things in the world and no crosse afflicteth thy heart so much as this that thou thinkest thou hast lost it thou canst not be assured of it this is a certaine signe thou lovest him When the Churches diligence in seeking after Christ when she had lost him is described Cant. 2.1 4. she expresseth the cause that moved her so to seeke after him by calling him him whom her soule loved and this title she repeateth in every one of those verses Certainely if her soule had not dearely loved him she could not in that manner have sought after him So that this griefe and trouble thy heart is in because thou canst not be assured of Gods favour argueth plainely that thou art sicke of love as the Church saith she was Cant. 2.5 and 5.8 Thy love to God is the cause of thy sicknesse and griefe O how happy a thing would it be with many if they were sicke of this disease Secondly Thou darest not doe any thing that thou thinkest would offend God but makest conscience to doe his will therefore thou lovest God Hee that hath my commandements and keepeth them saith our Saviour Ioh. 14.21 is hee that loveth me And 1 Iohn 5.3 This is the love of God that we keepe his commandements we could not els do it constantly nor conscionably Thirdly When thou hast through infirmity done any thing to offend God thou grievest unfeignedly and art troubled with it This argueth that thou lovest the Lord. It was love that made Mary Magdalen to weepe so abundantly for her sinnes as our Saviour testifieth of her Luke 7.47 And this was the onely thing whereby Peter did expresse that though he haâ— so shamefully denied Christ yet he loved him above all things when he had so offended hee went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26.75 Fourthly Thou lovest the Word and ordinances of God and the sincerity of his worship Therefore thou lovest God For the Lord calleth them that keepe the second commandement specially and above all others such as love him Exod. 20.6 And David professing himself Psal. 119 132. to be one of those that did love Gods name declareth it by no argument so much as by this throughout that Psalme even by that love hee bare unto and that delight hee tooke in the Word of God Fiftly thou lovest the children of God even because of the
goodnesse thou seest in them therefore thou lovest God If we love one another saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.12 God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us As if he had said That is a signe of a sound and perfect love of God So Christ will acknowledge at the last day that the love that was shewed to the least of his brethren was shewed unto him Matth. 25.40 If thou lovest the brethren thou lovest the Lord. Sixtly and lastly Thou dost unfeignedly desire to love the Lord and strivest against these feares that trouble thee and wouldst faine doe God service out of love and not out of feare Therefore thou lovest him For even as hee that doth unfeignedly desire to feare God doth feare God Neh. 1.11 And hee that mourneth for his infidelity and striveth against it hath true faith as it appeareth in that example of the poore man mentioned Mar. 9.24 So hath hee the true love of God in his heart that doth unfeignedly desire to love the Lord. But how can this be will you say Could I be so afrraid of God as I am if I did truly love him Is it possible for a man to be so afraid of him whom hee doth love Doth not the Apostle say 1 Iohn 4.18 That there is no feare in love but perfect love casteth out feare I answer 1. It is true that in love there is no such feare nothing is more contrary unto the nature of love then these feares are But in the person that hath true love these feares may be As though there is no infidelity or doubting of Gods favour in faith nothing more contrary unto faith then doubting and infidelity yet in the person of a true beleever there may be much infidelity as we have heard out of Mar. 9.24 2. Perfect love will cast out all these feares and the perfecter our love to God is the more it will cast out these feares and deliver us from them But the love of the best of Gods servants is imperfect and will be till we come to heaven for there and there onely are the spirits of just men made perfect as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.23 The third and last thing I have to say unto these poore soules that are so much disquieted with feare is this They must strive against these feares and labour to rid their hearts of them as David did Psal. 56.3 What time I am afraid I will trust in thee For 1 A trembling heart is in it selfe a judgement of God and part of that curse that God hath threatned in his law against sinne as you shall find Deut. 28.65 And Iob 18.11 Terrours shall make him afraid on every side Yea it is the greatest tormentour of the heart and enemy to the peace and tranquillity of it that can be Feare hath torment saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.18 He that is afraid to die must needs live in continuall and extreame bondage as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 2.15 2. It is not onely a judgement but a sinne also For it is oft forbidden and condemned in the Word Esa 8.12 Feare not their feare nor be afraid And Matth. 8.26 Why are ye fearefull ô ye of little faith Yea it is a cause of many other sinnes The feare of man bringeth a snare saith Solomon Pro. 29.25 1. It maketh a man apt to hide himselfe from God and run away from him I was afraid saith Adam Gen. 3.10 because I was naked and I hid my selfe 2. It maketh a man unprofitable and heartlesse to every good duty I was afraid saith the unprofitable servant Matth. 25.25 and went and hid thy talent in the earth 3. It keepeth a man from loving God as he should The more servile feare of God is in the heart the lesse love of God must needs be in it These are so contrary that they doe mutually diminish and expell one another as the Apostle hath taught us 1 Iohn 4.18 All this is true will you say but by what meanes may I rid my heart of this servile feare I answer These be the meanes First Consider wherein thou hast offended him and seeke peace with him seeke his favour seeing thou canst not flee nor hide thy selfe from him It is the course Solomon would have us take when a great man is offended with us Eccle. 8.3 Be not hasty to goe out of his sight It is good for me saith David Psal. 73.28 to draw neare unto God to get within him when he is most angry and to fall downe at his feet If thou returne to the Almighty saith Eliphaz Ioh 22.23.26 then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty and shalt lift up thy face unto God Secondly Nourish in thy heart a child-like feare to offend God and it will banish out of it these slavish feares Feare not their feare nor be afraid saith the Lord Esa. 8.12 13 Alas how should wee helpe that might they say He answereth Sanctifie the Lord of â—osts himselfe and let him be your feare and let him be your dread In the feare of the Lord saith Solomon Pro. 14.26 is strong confidence Thirdly Pray earnestly unto God against these feares This was Davids practise Psal. 34.4 I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my feares Pray as Ier. 17.17 Be not thou a terrour unto me thou art my hope in the day of evill As if he had said If I be afraid of thee what hope can I have in the evill day Fourthly Frequent Gods Sanctuary and in his ordinances there behold oft and meditate of the beauty of the Lord how amiable he is and worthy to be loved One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord saith David Psal. 27.4 Fiftly Seeke assurance by faith that Christ is thine and give thy selfe no rest till thou canst be able to say as Psal. 48.14 This God is my God for ever and ever he will be my guide even unto death In him saith the Apostle Ephes. 3.12 wee have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by faith in him Sixtly and lastly Acquaint thy selfe with the promises God hath so oft made his people to free them from these feares Iob 11.15 Thou shalt lift up thy face without spot yea thou shalt be steadfast and shalt not feare Psal. 112.7 8. He shall not be afraid of evill ridings his heart is fixed his heart is established he shall not be afraid And Pro. 1.33 Who so hearkneth unto me shall dwelt safely and shall be quiet from feare of evill These and such promises thou shouldst by faith give undoubted credit unto and apply them to thy selfe and rest upon them and make claime and challenge unto them Remembring how able the Lord is to performe them how faithfull also and true of his word Lecture LXXX On Psalme 51.6 February 5. 1627. IT followeth now that
we proceed unto the second grace whereof the right root of all true righteousnesse and goodnesse doth consist and that is a lively faith The point then that we are now to learne is this That all true love unto God and consequently all true godlinesse and uprightnesse of heart springeth from a lively faith even such a faith as maketh knowne to a man Gods love to him in Christ and maketh him able to receive Christ and to rest upon him See the proofe of this in foure degrees First Without faith it is not possible for a man to repent and forsake sinne in a right manner Sin shall not have dominion over you saith the Apostle Rom. 6.14 for ye are not under the law but under grace As if he had said Till you be under grace till by faith ye be assured of Gods gracious disposition towards you sinne will have dominion over you ye cannot helpe it ye cannot avoid it It is the bloud of Christ only applied by faith that purgeth the conscience from dead workes as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 9.14 Secondly Without faith it is not possible for a man to leade a godly life or to do anything that may please God Heb. 1â— 6 Without saith it is impossible to please God The life that I now live saith the Apostle Gal. 2.20 that is my spirituall life I live by the faith of the sonne of God Thirdly Without faith it is not possible for a man to have an honest and upright heart all he doth will be in hypocrisie till he have a lively faith For it is faith that purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 and that sanctifieth it Acts 26. â—8 Fourthly and lastly Without a lively faith it is impossible to love the Lord. It is saith that worketh by love saith the Apostle Gal. 5.6 As if he had said faith is that that setteth love on working that giveth life and motion unto it This is that which the Apostle also teacheth 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandement is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned As if he had said The true love of God which is the very end and perfection the fulfilling of every commandement of God which maketh us able to keepe the commandements and to account them no burden nothing grievous to us which giveth the price and valew in Gods sight to all our obedience springeth from a pure and upright heart and that from a good conscience and that from faith yea from faith unfeigned So that is the maine root of all The reasons hereof are two First Because faith is the onely thing that knitteth us to Christ and maketh him ours Christ dwelleth in our hearts by saith Ephes. 3.17 And till we bee knit to him and he be made ours there can be no goodnesse in us Of his fullnesse have we all received Ioh. 1.16 Without me ye can do nothing saith our Saviour Iohn 15.4 Secondly Because faith and faith onely maketh knowne to us that love of God as is effectuall to to breed in us a true love unto God It is an old and true proverbe and the truth of it is not so certaine in any case as in this magnes omoris amor Love is of an attractive nature like the load-stone to draw love unto it We love God saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.19 because he loved us first We can never love him till we be first perswaded of his love to us When the Sun in his full strength heate hath shined much upon it the stony pavement it self will reflect and send up an heate towards the sunne yea a greater heate then either the softer earth or the aire will but till the sun hath shined and shined much upon it it can send up no heate nor have any in it at all And even so it is with our cold and stony hearts when the knowledge and sense of Gods love hath warmed them then will they reflect love to God againe but till then they cannot But to handle this second reason more plainely and profitably two things are to be observed which I will distinctly speake of 1. Nothing but a lively faith can so assure us of Gods love to us as to kindle in our hearts a true love to God 2. A lively faith is able to doe this For the first It may bee objected that a man may bee sufficiently perswaded of Gods love to him though hee have not a lively faith For 1 Experience doth now and in all ages hath proved that many a most wicked man that is utterly void of true faith is fully perswaded that God loveth him and glorieth in nothing more then in that Hee maketh his boast of God as the Apostle speaketh of the wicked Iewes Rom. 2.17 The Lord speaking of some that did both in word and deed commit as much wickednes as they were able Ier. 3.5 yet saith of them ver 4. that these men would cry unto him My God thou art the guide of my youth And our Saviour saith that those cursed Iewes of whom hee pronounceth that the devill was their father Iohn 8.44 yet were themselves fully perswaded of Gods fatherly love unto them and could say of themselves verse 41 Wee have one father even God And what child of God know you upon earth that hath this word I thanke my God so much in his mouth as many a most wicked man hath 2 A man that hath no faith may yet have just cause to bee perswaded of Gods love towards him for God doth indeed love him and sheweth it many wayes that hee doth love him The Lord is good to all saith David Ps. 145.9 and his tender mercies are over all his works He is kind to the unthankefull and to the evill saith our Saviour Luke 6.25 Loe hee is good and kind and tenderly mercifull unto all even unto the worst men And upon whom doth not his light arise saith Bildad Iob 25.3 What man is there in the world that hath not sensible and comfortable experience of Gods love every day And why should not all men then be perswaded that God loveth them Now to this objection I have foure things to answer First It is very true that even these outward and common favours of God that all men enjoy are evident testimonies of Gods love and goodnesse In that hee giveth life and health and seasonable times in that hee causeth us to prosper yea in that hee feedeth us and cloatheth us it is a signe hee loveth us God loveth the stranger saith Moses Deutere 10.18 in giving him food and raiment Secondly To them that are in Christ these temporall and common favours of God are signes and pledges of his speciall love even by them the faithfull are confirmed in the assurance of his eternall love When Iacob saw that God had changed Esaus heart so that he looked and spake kindly to him hee saw Gods face and loving countenance toward him even in that I
of the Lord Iesus that is his quickning grace was mad manifest in their bodies In this respect also hee calleth the regenerate part Colos. 3.10 not a new mind nor a new will nor a new heart only but the new man Ye have put on saith hee the new man it is a compleat man it hath all the faculties and powers of a perfect man in it So speaketh hee againe 2 Corinth 5.17 If any man bee in Christ in the state of grace hee is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new Every one that is in Christ is become a new man every faculty every part of him is renewed In this respect also every upright-hearted man is called a perfect man Marke the perfect man and behold the upright saith David Psalme 37.37 because they have this perfection of parts they are sanctified throughout in all their parts And as the children that wee beget are perfect men and women so soone as ever they are borne because they have the soules and bodies and all the parts of men and women though in great weakenesse so is it with all the children of God much more Men may beget children that are defective and want some of their parts wee reade of some that have beene borne blind Iohn 9.1 and of some that have beene creeples from their mothers wombe Acts 14.8 and of some that have beene borne fooles But our heavenly father begets no such children all his children are perfect and have no such defect of parts in them Now before I make application of this point I must first give you three cautions to prevent the children of God from taking occasion of much feare and discomfort by the mistaking and misunderstanding of this point The first caution is this As the goodliest child that ever was borne is defective when it is an infant and new borne not onely in the stature and strength of every member of his body but even in the measure of his understanding also even so is it with the new man They that are sanctified in the best measure are yet in every part in every faculty of their soule in every sense and member of their body defective in the measure and degree of grace Paul telleth those worthy Christians the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 3.10 that hee desired to come to them to perfect that that was lacking in their faith Yea of himselfe hee saith Phil. 3.12 that hee was not perfect And if that great Apostle could say of himselfe and such as he was 1 Cor. 13.9 we know but in part then how great cause have the best of every one of us to complaine alas how little spirituall light and knowledge have I in my understanding how little sanctifying grace and goodnesse have I in my thoughts in my memory in my conscience in my will in my desires and affections How little inclination to any thing that is good in my eye or in my eare or in any other of my senses or parts of my body Secondly Though they that have truth of grace in them have every faculty and power of their soule and every sense and member of their body seasoned in some measure with the new leaven of sanctifying grace yet have they also much of the old leaven of their corrupt nature remaining still in every facultie of their soule and in every sense and member of their body Purge out therefore the old leaven saith the Apostle 1 Cor 5.7 As if hee had said This is a worke wherein we must alwayes be doing and which we shall never make an end of while we live here In which respect the regenerate man may fitly bee compared unto the ayre in the twilight in which there is no part but it hath some light in it neither is there any part of it but it hath some darkenesse in it also and unto the water that is luke-warme there is no part of it but it hath some heate in it nor any part but it hath some coldnesse in it too Therefore as the spirit the regenerate part in us is called as we have heard the new man so is the flesh and the unregenerate part in us called the old man likewise Eph. 4.22 because it goeth through the whole man as the other doth And this maketh many a good soule thinke there is no truth of grace in them because that throughout in their whole spirit and soule and body they discerne still so much corruption From the sole of the foot say they as Esa. 1.6 even to the head there is no soundnes in me This maketh them complaine with Iob 40.4 Behold I am vile What a deale of ignorance and blindnes have I in my understanding how vaine wicked are my thoughts for the most part how hardly can I forget any small wrong that hath bin done me and how apt am I to forget any good thing how hard a heart have I and unable to mourne for any of my sins how apt to be overwhelmed with griefe for the smallest crosse that befalleth me With what delight doe mine eares listen to any evill I can heare of my neighbour how dull of hearing is it towards any thing that is good how apt is mine eye to wander and to steale away my heart when I should attend to the word and how hardly can I keepe it fixed upon any thing that might bring good to my soule These we know are the complaints of the best soules And yet all this may be where there is truth of heart Thirdly and lastly Though where truth of grace is it diffuseth and sheddeth it selfe abroad throughout the whole man every faculty of the soule is sanctified and every part of the body also yet is not the worke of grace therein so sensible and manifest as is the corruption of our nature The workes of the flesh are manifest saith the Apostle Galathians 5.19 more manifest then the worke of grace is I cannot perceive saith many a good Christian any worke of Gods sanctifying grace at all in my memory in sundry of my affections in my joy and my anger much lesse in the members of my body and how can I say then that there is any truth of grace in mee To such I say there may bee some sanctifying grace in thee yea in every faculty of thy soule and member of thy body though thou perceive it not The little infant hath all the parts of a mans body though there bee sundry of them thou canst discerne no use he hath of them in any action yea hee hath a reasonable soule and all the faculties of it though it appeare not in any operation at all Three things thou hast in thee that shew thou hast sanctifying grace even there where thou perceivest it least 1. As thou hast in thy whole man in every faculty and part both flesh and spirit so hast thou in thy whole man a conflict between them The flesh lusteth against the spirit
The Lord hath forsaken me Thou art troubled with strong and fearefull tentations unto desperation Well for all this if thy heart bee upright though thou perceive it not nay if ever it were upright certainely they shall end in joy Marke the perfect man and behold the upright As if he had said It is our great sinne that we observe no better the manifold examples and experiments God giveth us of this for the end of that man is peace Yea proportionable to the measure of thy desertion and discomfort shall thy joy be in the end According to the comparison the Lord useth in this case Ps. 7.11 Light is sowen for the righteous and gladnesse for the upright in heart And 126.5 They that sow in teares shall reape in joy Proportionable to the seedâ—esse of their sorrow shall the harvest and crop of their joy be Now then to conclude all that I have said of these motives seeing there be so many promises made so many excellent priviledges belonging to them that are upright in heart let us not any longer content our selves with shewes of goodnesse with professing and thinking we are Christians we feare God we serve him But let us be ashamed of and bewaile and strive against our hypocrisie and our halting with God Let us labour to attaine to that uprightnesse of heart which we have heard at large described to us out of Gods Word and which the Lord our God so much delighteth in And for our helpe herein I will shew you some of the principall meanes which God hath in his Word directed us to use for the obtaining of it And I will passe over them as briefly as I can First It is not possible for a man to have an upright heart till his heart have first been truly humbled for sin Behold saith the Prophet Hab. 2.4 his soule which is listed up is not upright in him It must be humbled before it can be upright As when a bell is crackt it can never be mended till it have beene first broken in pieces and melted and cast a new so before the heart of man that is so full of cracks and unsoundnesse can be made sound and whole it must first be broken David could not rid himselfe of that guile that was in his heart till he tooke this course till with an humbled soule hee did acknowledge against himselfe his wickednesse to the Lord as is plaine Psal. 32 2-5 Secondly He that would have an upright heart must labour for a true faith for assurance of Gods fatherly love to him in Christ. Let us draw neere saith the Apostle Heb. 10.22 with a true heart in full assurance of saith For it is faith onely that purifieth the heart as the Apostle speaketh Acts 15.9 as from all other corruptions so from that falshood and hypocrisie that is in it by nature When David had professed Psal. 16. â— that he had walked in his integrity he nameth this to be the cause of it and the meanes whereby hee was brought unto and preserved in this integrity verse 3. For thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes when wee once know that the service we doe is unto our father that hath so dearely loved us this will make us serve him heartily and unseignedly Thirdly He that would have and keepe an upright heart must take heed of living in any knowne sinne of doing any thing against his conscience Keepe thy servant from presumptuous sinnes saith David Psal. 19.13 let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright The end of the commandement is love saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.5 out of a pure heart and a good conscience Purity and truth of heart can never be had or preserved without a good conscience Fourthly He that would have an upright heart must thinke oft of this and keepe it in his minde that Gods eye is upon him wheresoever he is and whatsoever he goeth about This the Lord himselfe prescribeth unto Abraham Gen. 17.1 as a meane to breed and preserve uprightnesse of heart in him Walke before me saith he and be thou upright By this meanes Paul kept his heart upright in his ministery and so may we do now from seeking his owne praise or advantage or the humouring of men As of sincerity saith he 2 Cor. 2.17 as of God in the sight of God so speake we in Christ. By this meanes Noah kept himselfe upright in a most corrupt age and so may we do now as bad as the times are Noah was a just man saith the Holy Ghost Gen. 6 9. and upright in his generations Noah walked with God He looked not to the practise of men but set the Lord alwaies before him and walked as in his sight and presence and that kept him upright By this meanes the Church and people of God kept themselves upright in times of extreame trouble and persecution and so may we doe when the like times shall come upon us All this is come upon us say they Psal 44.17 18. even all that they had mentioned in eight verses before yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy covenant our heart is not turned backe Why What was it that kept them from halting with God in such a time as that was That they tell us verse 21. even the consideration of this thaâ— they could not hide themselves from God they were ever in his eye Shall not God search this out say they for he knoweth the secrets of the heart Certainely a secret Atheisme that lodgeth in our breasts whereby either we beleeve not or remember not that Gods eye is upon us is a chiefe cause as of all other foule sins according to that Ezek. 9.9 The land is full of bloud and the city full of perversenesse for they say the Lord hath forsaken the earth and the Lord seeth not so is it a chiefe cause of all that falshood and hypocrisie that is in our hearts Fiftly and lastly He that would have an upright heart must diligently observe the falshood and hypocrisie of his own heart how apt it is to halt and dissemble with God in every service he doth unto him and out of an humbled soule for it complaine much to God of it and beg helpe of him against it By this meanes David here laboureth to get an upright heart he complaineth to God in this verse of the want of that truth in the inward parts which God so much delighteth in for as we have heard he speaketh of that here for the aggravation of his sin and then he beggeth of God helpe against this falshood of his heart verse 10. Create in me a â—leane heart ô God and renew a right spirit within me And so doth he likewise Psal. 119.80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed As if he had said O Lord give me a sound heart And certainely one chiefe cause why hypocrisie so much prevaileth that increaseth
us to judge surely for these and these sins God hath thus and thus plagued them Thus David saith Psalme 52.6 7. that when the righteous should see the strange judgements of God that should fall upon Doeg and his posterity they should say Loâ— this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthened himselfe in his wickednes As if they should say He thought that so long as he was in such place and authority and favour with Saul he need not care what he did against David or against the Lords Priests but see now the end of this persecuting wretch The judgement of God that followed him kept his sin in their remembrance and made them oft to talke of it And doubtlesse so should the judgements of God that we see upon such as have bin notoriously wicked for whoredome for oppression for hatred of religion the judgements I say that we see upon them and their families should keepe their sins in our remembrance and cause us oft to thinke and speake of them Nay for as much as those poore Churches of Christ in the Palatinate and Germany and Rochel have bin notoriously knowne to offend generally in the ordinary profanation of the Sabbath the sin that God saith was a chiefe cause of the Iewes captivity Ezekiel 20.13 In the contempt of the ministery of whom the Lord hath said Deut. 12.19 Take heed to thy selfe that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth Forasmuch as I say they have bin notoriously knowne to offend generally this way besides the loosenesse of their lives in drunkennesse and lasciviousnesse professing outwardly religion having a forme of godlinesse as the Apostle spreaketh 1 Tim. 3.5 but denying the power thereof it is not unlawfull for us to impute all this marvailous severity of God towards them unto these their sins But then I answer secondly that there be two wayes whereby wee may offend greatly in this case First When only for the afflictions that they endure and the judgements of God that we see upon any we judge them guilty of some great sin though we know no sin by them nor can justly taxe their conversation any way As it was in Iobs case This I say is a great sin For it is evident by the scripture that the holiest of all Gods servants have bin most sharpely afflicted Such as of whom the world was not worthy as the Apostle speaketh Hebr. 11 37 38. were stoned and sawne asunder were tempted were slaine with the sword they wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted and tormented And God doth not alwayes in afflicting his children correct them for sin but he doth it sometimes only to try their faith patience and to make them examples of faith and patience unto others You are in heavinesse saith the Apostle 1 Peter 1.6 7. through manifold temptations that the tryall of your faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. And sometimes he doth it for other causes which he keepeth secret unto himselfe and which the wisest and holiest men under heaven have not beene able to conceive yea this maketh much for his glory that he doth so as we read Prov. 25.2 That the Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his workes every faithfull man hath ever beene ready to acknowledge Psalme 145.17 Ieremy 12.1 But the wisest and holiest of Gods servants have oft beene astonished at the beholding of his judgements and unable to discerne his meaning in them but have beene constrained in a holy reverence and admiration to cry out as Esa. 45.15 Verily thou art a God that hidest thy selfe And Romanes 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out As if he had said His judgements are so deepe and unsearchable that no man is able to found them to find out the ground and reason of them The second way wherby we may much offend in this case is when though we know sins and great sins too in them whom God thus afflicteth we do by reason of the greatnesse and strangenesse of their afflictions judge them to be no better then hypocrites or greater sinners then our selves or other men whom the Lord doth not so plague as he hath done them For we have heard in the Doctrine God doth use to affliâ—t his owne deare children for sin more sharply in this life then he doth any other It was a strange judgement that fell upon old Ely that he should with a fall breake his necke and dye 1 Sam. 4.18 and doubtlesse his sin in bearing too much with his children in their profanesse was the cause of it yet he were a mad-man that would doubt whether he were a good man and dyed in Gods favour for all that or that would thinke he was a greater sinner then any other in Israel because of that So it was a strange judgement that befell the young Prophet 1 Kings 13 24. and certainely his sin was the cause of it And yet the old Prophet by his mourning for him and charging his sons verse â—9 31. that when he dyed they should bury him in his grave declared that he was undoubtedly assured that he was Gods deare child dyed in his favour for all that O take heed therfore of judging of those poore Churches that have so strangely perished or of any other persons to have beene hypocrites and void of true grace or to have bin greater sinners either then our selves because of the miseries that they have endured Take heed of despising or thinking the worse of any for their afflictions and miseries This is a corruption too strong in all men by nature Prov. 14.20 and 19.17 Eccles. 9.15 16. This is the first sin that is taxed and reproved by the Doctrine that we have heard And there be three things that may discover to us both the folly and the wickednesse and danger also of this humour First That God hath expresly said in his word that we may not judge them the greatest sinners that are most afflicted No man saith the holy Ghost Eccl. 9.1 knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him that is by any outward thing that doth befall men as he expresseth himselfe verse 2. Suppose ye saith our Saviour Luk. 13.2 3. and to shew the certainty and necessity of this truth he repeateth it againe and giveth another instance of it verse 4 â— Suppose yee that those Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans because they endured such things They were murdered by Pilate even while they were sacrificing and serving God a strange judgement and yet heare what Christ saith I tell you Nay As if he should say you may not judge so you sin
also but not els 3. Lastly the Lord himselfe will judge thee at the last day by his Word and by that onely The word that I have spoken saith our Saviour Ioâ— 12.48 the same shall judge him at the last day And therefore it standeth thee upon to judge thy selfe by that too Secondly Now alas most men though they say they be undoubtedly assured of their salvation have no ground at all in Gods Word for this assurance they boast of Nay though the Word give most expresse and direct evidence against them yet are they most confident that they shall be saved for all that Though Gods Word say expresly Psal. 119.155 Salvation is farre from the wicked for they seeke not thy statutes Yet many a one that never seeketh after Gods Statutes taketh no paines for the Word nay shunneth it all that ever he can and though he may enjoy it without any labour or charge at all will not stirre out of his doores for it nay that counteth you all arrant fooles and hypocrites that take so much paines for it as many of you do yet is this man I say as sure of his owne salvation as any of you can be Though the Scripture say expresly yea though he that must judge us all at the last day say expresly Matth. 5.37 Whatsoever is more than yea and nay the least oath that is in our ordinary communication commeth of that evill one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Divell And though the Apostle say Iam. 5.12 Above all things my brethren sweare not by any oath least ye fall into condemnation least ye be damned yet have we many a one that sweare ordinarily not by faith and troth onely but by fowler oathes a great deale that yet never doubted of their salvation but are confident Christ died for them his blood hath been sprinkled upon their hearts Though the Scripture say expresly 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Neither fornicators nor wantons nor theeves nor drunkards nor raylors nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God yet where have you any in Gods Church that are more confidently assured that have lesse doubt of their salvation than these men have But let God be true saith the Apostle Rom. 3.4 and every man a lyar Thou wilt one day find that the Lords testimonies against thee are very sure as the Psalmist calleth them Psal. 93.5 and that thine owne heart hath prophesied a lie unto thee that thou mightest perish as the Lord saith of them that prophesied peace unto the Iewes Ier. 27.10 I know thou art apt to alledge that thou hast repented and that thou dost believe in Christ and therefore thou hast the Word to build thy assurance upon But because neither thy faith nor thy repentance are according to the patterne according to the Word I may say of thy confidence thou reposest therein as Bildad doth of the hope of all hypocrites Iob 8.14 Thy hope shall be cut off and thy trust shall be as the spiders webb Lecture CXXIII On Psalme 51.7 Iuly 21. 1629. THE third and last signe whereby we may judge of our assurance and discerne whether God by his holy spirit hath sprinkled upon our hearts the bloud of his sonne and certified us that it was shed for us whether that assurance we seeme to have be of God or no is to be taken from the effects that this assurance hath wrought in us It is not possible for any man that knew before his owne wretchednesse by nature to be assured by Gods spirit that God hath so dearely loved him as to send his owne sonne to shed his bloud for him but this must needes worke a great change and alteration in him It must needs kindle in his heart an unfeined love to God Faith worketh by love saith the Apostle Galat. 5 6. As if he should say It cannot be idle but it is operative and full of vertue and the hand and instrument it worketh by is love It must needes make him that hath it desirous and studious to expresse his love to God by all meanes he can and to say with David Psalme 116.12 What shall I render unto the Lord Yea the deeper sense a man hath had of his owne sinne and wretchednesse before the more will his heart be inflamed with love to God when once hee feeleth the bloud of Christ sprinkled upon his heart by Gods spirit the more studious will he be to expresse his love by any duty hee is able to performe Mary had had many sins forgiven unto her and therefore she loved much as our Saviour saith Luke 7 47. she thought no service too base too much for her to doe unto Christ who had so dearely loved her Shee waâ—hed his feet with her teares and wiped them with the haires of her head as you may see verse 38. of that chapter The Papists blaspheme our Doctrine touching this certainty a man may have of Gods favour and say it tendeth to loosenesse of life and liberty But they speake of it by heare-say as strangers doe of a thing that they never knew or had experience of in themselves For the true assurance of salvation which the spirit of God hath wrought in any heart hath that force to restraine him from loosenesse of life and to knit his heart in love and obedience to God as nothing else hath in all the world It is certainly either the want of faith and assurance of Gods love or a false and carnall assurance of it that is the true cause of all that licentiousnesse and lewdnesse that raigneth in the world But to speake distinctly yet briefly of this point you shall see the effects that true assurance will worke both in the inward and outward man First True faith whereby wee receive and apply Christ unto our selves will purifie the heart as the Apostle speaketh Actes 15.9 It will worke a thorow change and reformation even in the hidden part This difference the Apostle observeth Hebr. 9.13 74. betweene the sprinkling of the bloud of the sacrifices upon the people by the Priest under the law and the sprinkling of Christs blood upon the heart by the spirit of God that sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh saith he that is that made a man legally in the judgement of men cleane from all outward pollutions but Christs bloud being sprinkled by the spirit of God upon any heart will purge the conscience from dead works that is from all sins which as they deserve so will they certainly bring death eternall upon all that are not purged from them this saith he will purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God There is certainly an admirable vertue in the bloud of Christ when it is once by the spirit of God sprinkled and applyed to the heart of any man it will purge and heale it from all the corruptions that were in it before Vnto you that feare my name saith the Lord Malachi 4.2 shall the sunne of righteousnesse arise with
down in Psalme 6. For when hee made that Psalme it is evident that hee was in great anguish of heart by the losse of his assurance of Gods favour as appeareth by the seven first verses To recover his comfort hee falleth to servent prayer And before hee had ended his prayer hee was so filled with the assurance of Gods favour that he breaketh forth into these patheticall expressions of his joy Verse 8 9. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping the Lord hath heard my supplication the Lord will receive my prayer The second experiment of this in him is in Psalme 31. Where wee finde that when hee had so farre lost his assurance that hee thought as hee saith verse 22. he was quite cut off from God as a dead and rotten branch he betooke himselfe to prayer hee cryed and made many supplication unto God and had such successe in this course that hee bursteth forth into these words verse 21. Blessed be the Lord for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindnesse as in a strong city And how falleth it out then wilt thou say that I have beene so long a suiter to God for this and cannot yet obtaine it I answer thee in the words of the Apostle Iam. 4.3 Ye aske and receive not because ye aske amisse Five defects there be in thy prayer that this is to be imputed unto First Either thou prayest not fervently and earnestly for this but there are some other things that thou dost more affect and more earnestly desire then thou dost this Whereas thou shouldst seeke and desire this above all things in the world and say of it as David doth Psal. 63.3 Thy loving kindnesse is better then life A second defect in thy prayer may bee this that thou livest in some knowne sin unrepented of If thou prepare thine heart saith Zophar Iob 11 13 14 and stretch out thine hand towards him if iniquity be in thine hand put it farre away and let not wickednesse dwell in thy tabernacles Hee whose conscience telleth him he doth somewhat daily and purposeth still to doe that he ought not or somewhat he daily omitteth to doe and doth not yet resolve to doe which he ought to do can have no hope to find comfort by his prayer A third defect in thy prayer that may bee the cause why thou speedest no better may bee that thou art not humbled enough in thy prayers for this I tell thee this is a suit worth the setting of a day apart and keeping of a secret fast for Of this spirit of infidelity that possesseth thee and whereby thy poore heart is so vexed and tormented it may bee Christ hath said as once he did of another spirit Mark 9 2â— This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting Remember what I told thee out of Levi. 23.27 Of all the dayes of thy life the day of humiliation wherin thou afflictest thy soule in prayer and fasting will prove the day of atonement betweene God and thy soule thou canst use no meanes to get assurance of thy atonement and reconciliation with God better then that A fourth defect in thy prayer that may perhaps bee the cause why thou speedest no better is this that thou prayest not in faith for this blessing Thou usest to pray out of this perswasion that thy heart telleth thee that thou must doe it God hath commanded thee to pray thy conscience will checke and smite thee if thou doe neglect it But thou dost not when thou prayest set before thy mind the promises of God Such as that is Iohn 16 22. Verily verily I say unto you Whatsoever yee shall aske the father in my name hee will give it you And that Luke 11.13 If yee beeing evill know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that aske him And this holy spirit is the spirit of adoption that witnesseth with our spirit that wee are Gods children as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.16 These and those other promises we heard of before wee should thinke on when we pray and verily expect the performance of them Thus did David I prevented the dawning of the morning and cryed saith hee Psalme 119.147 I hoped in thy word As if he should say The gracious promises thou hadst made in thy word encouraged mee to it So dost not thou Thou prayest for comfortable assurance of Gods favour but thou dost not looke to obtaine it by thy prayer nay thou hadst no hope to obtaine it And so by this thy infidelity when thou prayest thou setttest up a wall of partition betweene God and thy prayer to keepe it from having any accesse unto him Let not that man thinke saith the Apostle Iames 1.7 that hee shall receive any thing of the Lord. The Lord useth to answer his people in their suites as hee did the two blind men Matthew 9.29 According to your faith bee it unto you The fift and last defect in thy prayer that may bee the cause why thou receivest no comfort by it is this that thou faintest in prayer Because thou hast so long sued to God for assurance and comfort and canst yet receive none thou hast beene weary of prayer and given it over and so hast limited the holy one of Israel as they did of whom the Prophet complaineth Psalme 78.41 whereas our Saviour hath taught us by the parable of the unrighteous judge and the widow Luke 18.1 that wee ought alwayes to pray and not to faint Blessed are all they that wait for him saith the Prophet Esa. 30.18 As if hee had said They that wait shall not loose their labour they shall certainly obtaine their suit in the end This is a blessing I tell thee worth the waiting for Many a Saint of God hath waited many yeares for this suit before they have obtained it and when they have obtained it at the last have thought themselves happy men And thus much shall serve to have beene spoken of the first sort of meanes the other we must leave till the next day Lecture CXXV On Psalme 51.7 Aug. 11. 1629. THE second sort of meanes which I call more inward and spirituall then the former are foure principally The first is care to keepe a good conscience in all things The second a diligent observation of our owne wayes The third a consideration of the experiments wee have had of Gods favour The fourth a renouncing of our selves and resting only upon the free grace of God in Christ. First Hee that would get a comfortable assurance of the favour of God in Christ and feele that the bloud of Christ is sprinkled by the spirit of God upon his heart hee that desireth to keepe and preserve in himselfe this assurance or to recover it when hee hath lost it must nourish in his heart a constant care to please God in all his wayes and a feare to offend him in any thing The worke of
spirit in them as well as if wee expressed it in the best words and method in the world And thus have I finished this Doctrine with all the uses that are to be made of it Lecture CXXVIII On Psalme 51.7 Septemb. 15. 1629. WE have already heard that this verse consisteth of two parts The first is an earnest petition wherein David beggeth of God to be purged and washed from his sins by the bloud of Christ and to have that sprinkled upon him and applyed to him by the spirit of God The second is the reason that moved him to beg this of God so earnestly which is taken from the fruit and benefit he knew he should receive by it and that is double 1. He knew that being thus purged he should be cleane no filthinesse should remaine upon him no sin that ever he committed should be imputed to him 2. He knew that if he were thus washed he should be whiter then the snow he should have so perfect righteousnesse imputed to him as should make him beautifull and glorious in the sight of God The petition we finished the last day and now it followeth that we do proceed to the reason of it And herein we are to observe how confidently David speaketh heere of the blessed estate of them whom God hath washed and sprinkled with the bloud of Christ yea of the blessed estate that he knew himselfe should be in so soone as God should have vouchsafed that mercy unto him notwithstanding the foulnes and odiousnesse of his sins was more then ordinary yet he knew that when once God should have washed him with and applyed to him the bloud of Christ he should have no spot of his sins remaining upon him yea he should be whiter in Gods eye then the very snow And from this point thus observed in the words of David this Doctrine doth arise for our instruction That all such as have their soules washed and sprinkled with Christs bloud that is all that truly beleeve in him are perfectly cleansed from all their sins and are as pure and white in Gods sight as any snow Now the best and plainest way I can think of for confirming this Doctrine unto you will be by answering of a doubt and Question which every one of your hearts will be apt to move against it For who is there among us all that marketh and considereth this Doctrine well that will not see cause to bee amazed at it as it is said Matth. 19.25 that the Disciples of our Saviour once were at the hearing of a certaine Doctrine that he taught Which of us will not be ready to say of this Doctrine as they did of that Who can then be saved Who then can be said to be a true beleever Is no soule washed or sprinkled with the bloud of Christ doth no man truly beleeve in him that is not so white so perfectly cleansed as he hath no filthinesse at all no one spot of sin remaining on him Who then can say hee doth truly beleeve in Christ that ever hee was washed or sprinkled with his bloud Or if others can say so surely wilt thou say I cannot say so For I know and feele there is still a great deale of filthinesse many a foule and blacke spot remaining in my soule For answer unto this we must understand that all true beleevers are cleansed and washed from their sins two waies As you shall find the Apostle teacheth us 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you saith he but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God He speaketh this for the comfort of such as before their conversion had been guilty of those foule crimes he had spoken of in the 9. 10. verses Some of them had been idolaters some adulterers some Sodomites buggerers some theeves some drunkards some extortioners No marvell though such persons were apt oft to call in question their owne estate though they were subject to many doubts and feares in themselves And therfore two things are remarkable in this manner of speech which he useth of purpose that he might speake the more effectually to their comfort The first is his so often repeating of his words But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified As if he had said Though some of you were guilty of such foule sins I say unto you and for your better assurance I say it to you againe and againe you are now fully acquitted of all those sinnes no one of them shall ever be laid to your charge againe The second is this that he nameth their sanctification in the first place which as the effect and fruit did in order of nature come after and their justification in the second place which as the cause and root of it did go before of purpose as I said to increase their comfort As if he should say Ye are sanctified by the spirit of our God yea and more then that for your sanctification you will be apt to say is but poore and weake ye are justified also from all these your sinnes in the name of the Lord Iesus So that you see heere that the Apostle speaketh of a twofold washing that the faithfull have received from all their sinnes 1. They are washed from their sinnes in the name of the Lord Iesus that is in Christ and through the merit of his bloud which hee calleth there justification 2. They are washed from their sinnes by the spirit of God which he calleth there sanctification Now although these two goe alwaies together Christ justifieth no man by the merit of his bloud but he sanctifieth him also by his holy spirit the Lord accounteth no man righteous by imputing Christs righteousnesse unto him but he maketh him also righteous by a righteousnesse inherent in himselfe And the surest way for a man to know himselfe to be one of those that are justified by the bloud of Christ is to find himselfe to be one of thâ—se that are sanctified by the spirit of Christ. Let no man deceive you saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 3.7 hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous even as hee is righteous As if he had said thus He that hath inherent righteousnesse and he onely is the man that is righteous by imputation he that is sanctified is justified and none but he And therefore also the Apostle calleth all them that receive benefit by Christ the sanctified ones Heb. 2.11 Both hee that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one nature And 10.14 By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Though this I say be so yet betweene these two kinds of washing there be foure notable differences to be observed which it is profitable for us all to be acquainted with First The cleansing from sinne that is wrought by the spirit of God in our sanctification as it is a grace inherent and a
never have said he might seeme to have had matter of glorying in those works he did while he was an idolater but matter of shame and confusion rather 3. The Apostle speaking unto men that feared God Act. 13.16 telleth them ver 39. that they could not be justified by the law of Moses that is by those workes which were commanded in the law of Moses 4 Lastly David when he was the servant of God a true beleever professeth that he could not stand before Gods judgement in the confidence of his own righteousnes it could not justifie him in Gods sight and therfore cryeth Ps. 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant ô Lord for in thy sight shall no man living be justified And thus you see No man no not the best man that ever lived can be justified before God by any righteousnes that is in himselfe Now I will give you two reasons of it out of Gods Word First The righteousnesse and goodnesse that is in the best man is lame and imperfect and farre short of that God in his law requireth of him yea it is also spotted and defiled with the Leprosy of his originall corruption and therefore it cannot justifie him in Gods sight it cannot stand before God nor abide the tryall at his judgement seat The blessed Apostle himselfe professeth Phil. 3.12 that he was not perfect Iohn Baptist though he were sanctified in his mothers womb yet avoucheth Mat. 3.14 that he had need to be baptized of Christ he was not washed and cleansed sufficiently his sanctification was imperfect And the Church complaineth Esa 64.6 We are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy rags There is not a just man upon earth saith Salomon Eccl. 7.20 that doth good and sinneth not In many things we offend all saith the Apostle Iam. 3.2 If we say saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 1.8 we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us True saith the Papist the justest man is not free from venial sins but that is no hinderance to his justification by his inherent righteousnes To this I answer First 〈◊〉 no sinne is so veniall but it justly deserveth etâ—râ—all â—eath The soule that â—â—nneth it shall die saith the Prophet Ezek. 18.4 And the wages of sin is death saith the Apostle Rom. 6.23 And Gal. 3.10 Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the law to do them Not onely every thing that is done against Gods Law how small soever it be but every thing that is lest undone which the law commandeth how small soever it be maketh a man lyable to the curse of God Secondly The holiest men that have ever lived and such as the Holy Ghost hath given testimony unto that they were just and perfect men have beene notwithstanding that guilty of such sinnes as the Papists themselves confesse to be mortall Zachary though he were a just man before God as the Holy Ghost saith of him Luke 1.6 yet was he guilty of grosse infidelity in not believing the Word that God spake to him by the Ministry of an Angell Luk. 1.20 yea the holiest men have had that deep sense of their owne sinfulnesse and corruption as they durst not stand before God in their owne righteousnesse they have freely professed they could not be justified by it in Gods sight Thus was Iob perswaded of his owne righteousnesse though hee were a man of whom the Lord himselfe giveth testimony Iob 1.8 that there was none like him upon the earth an upright and a perfect man Though I were righteous saith Iob 9 15. yet would I not answer him but I would make supplication to my Iudge And 10.15 If I be righteous yet will I not lift up my head As if he should say I will not plead my righteousnesse before thee I will not trust to be justified by it in thy sight And thus was David perswaded of his owne righteousnesse of whom yet the Lord saith that hee was a man after his owne heart 1 Samuel 13.14 If thou Lord shouldst marke iniquities saith David Psalme 130.3 O Lord who shall stand Lastly Thus was blessed Paul perswaded of his owne righteousnesse I know nothing by my selfe saith he 1 Corinth 4.4 yet am I not thereby justified but he that justifieth me is the Lord. As if he had said Though I should discerne no defect in mine owne righteousnesse as for the maine bent of my heart and course of my life I do not yet dare not I plead it before God nor hope to be justifyed by it for the Lord that is my Iudge can espie in me much more than I can in my selfe And certainly to conclude this first reason there is no Papist under heaven that hath not lost all conscience but his heart must needs give his tongue the lie when he saith he believeth to be justified before God by that righteousnesse and goodnesse that is inherent and dwelling in himselfe A second reason against it is this If a man could be justified by that righteousnesse that is inherent in himselfe then might he have in himselfe just cause of boasting and glorying before God neither should the whole glory of mans salvation and justification bee due unto the free grace and mercy of God in Christ. This argument the holy Apostle presseth against justification by works and for justification by faith onely Where is boasting then saith he Rom. 3.27 it is excluded By what law or doctrine Of works Nay but by the law or doctrine of faith And againe Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were justifified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God By grace ye are saved through faith saith he Eph. 2.8 9. not of works least any man should boast So 1 Cor. 1.30 31. he giveth this for the reason why Christ is all in all to us in the matter of our salvation wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption that according as it is written he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. As if he had said God cannot abide that man should glory before him but would have him to be humbled to the very dust but if he could be justified before God by any goodnesse that is in him then might he have just cause of glorying even before God True saith the Papist if a man could be justified by his owne works by such works as he doth by the power of nature then had he indeed matter of glorying and boasting in himselfe But not when he is justified by such works onely as are wrought by the power of Gods grace in him For these workes are not his owne but the works of Christ and his grace in him according to that speech of the Church Esa. 26.12 Lord thou hast wrought all our workes in us And that of the Apostle Romans 15.18 I will not dare to speake of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by mee Wee doe not therefore say
they by our doctrine ascribe unto man any matter of glorying at all we give the whole glory of mans justification unto Christ aâ—ore To this I have two things to answer First the Apostle saith Rom. 3.27 that boasting is not excluded by any doctrine but by the Doctrine of justification by faith onely that the Doctrine of justification by works by any workes whether done before or after grace doth leave unto man some matter of boasting And Ephes. 2.8 9. he telleth us plainly that if we could be saved by such works as we that are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works that is regenerate persons do perform we might have matter of boasting in our selves Secondly Though the good actions that are wrought by the faithfull after grace received be wrought in them by the speciall assistance of the grace of Christ yet are they not Christs actions but their owne When they believe or repent or pray it cannot be said that Christ believeth repenteth or prayeth in them If their actions were meerely the actions of Christ and his grace then indeed we could not deny them to be perfect undefiled and meritorious also then though they were justified by them they could have no cause of glorying or boasting at all but the whole glory of it should redound unto Christ alone But because we are immediate agents in them our selves therefore the Holy Ghost calâ—eth them our own and not Christs works So Paul calleth all that goodnesse that was in him that care and conscience he made to keep Gods law Phil 3-9 〈◊〉 owne righteousnesse And so doth our Saviour also call the good works of the faithfull their owne works Let your light so shine before men saith he Matth. 5.16 that they may see your good works And Rev. 2.9 I know thy works And from hence also it commeth even from the imperfection and corruption that is in us who are the immediate agents in them that they are both imperfect and defiled also For who can bring a cleane thing out of 〈◊〉 uncleane Not one saith Iob 14.4 Though the fountaine from whence they first sprink be most pure yet they receive such pollution from the filthy channels through which they passe as were it not for Christ they could not at all be accepted of God And from hence also it commeth that if we were justified by them we should have some just cause of glorying before God And thus have I confirmed to you the first of those truths which I propounded that is to say That we are not justified before God by our inherent righteousnesse by it we can never be made whiter than the snow in Gods sight It followeth now that wee proceed unto the second That wee are justified before God by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to us and by that alone In confirming whereof I will observe the same order that I did before First I will shew you by evident proofs of holy Scripture that it is so Secondly I will give you good reasons out of the Word why it must â—eeds be so For proofes I will give you six that are plaine and pregnant 1. The Apostle saith Rom. 4.6 that to the blessed that is to the justified man the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes And what righteousnesse can that be Inherent righteousnesse it cannot be for that is not without works it must needs therefore be Christs righteousnesse 2. He saith expresly Rom. 5.19 that by the obedience of one that is of Christ many that is the whole number of Gods elect are made righteous not efficiently and meritoriously onely but formally as by Adams disobedience we were made sinners not efficiently and meritoriously onely but formally his first sinne was made our sinne 3. The Apostle 1 Cor. 1.30 saith that Christ is made to us of God wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption where 1 he expresly distinguisheth righteousnesse from sanctification imputed righteousnesse from inherent righteousnesse and 2 saith that Christs righteousnesse is made ours of God 4. 2 Cor. 5.21 He saith we are made the righteousnesse of God in him where observe 1 That he saith we are made the righteousnesse of God that is righteous by such a righteousnesse as God requireth 2. That he saith not onely in the concrete we are made righteous but in the abstract righteousnesse that is perfectly and fully righteous 3. That we are made so in him not in our selves inherently 5. The Prophet Ieremiah Ier. 23.6 saith this is the name whereby Christ should be called by all Gods people the Lord our righteousnesse As if he had said All Gods people should professe they have no other righteousnesse to stand before God with but onely Christ his righteousnesse and his alone They should say as David doth Psal. 71.16 I will make mention of speake of glory in trust unto thy righteousnesse even of thine onely 6. Lastly This is the confession of all the Saints in that Hallelujah whereby they do solemnize the marriage of the lambe Revel 19.8 To his spouse was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linnen cleane and white For the fine linnen is the righteousnesse of Saints Where observe 1. That that made Christs Spouse and Church most beautifull whiter than the snow in his eye was not so much her owne beauty any righteousnesse of her owne or inherent in her selfe as the robe the fine linnen that was granted to her put upon her none of her owne 2. That this robe this fine linnen is said to be the righteousnesse of Saints Not in our first justification onely as the Papists fondly distinguish but in our second justification also if there were any such even when we are Saints we have no other righteousnesse to make us beautifull in God's eyes but this robe this fine white linnen that is put upon us graunted to us and none of our owne 3. Observe the confirmation and ratification that is given to these words Verse 9. The Angell said unto Iohn These are the true sayings of God And what is this robe this fine linnen that is the righteousnesse of all the Saints Surely Christ and his perfect righteousnesse which is given and imputed unto us of God In which respect they that are baptized into Christ and truly believe in him are said Gal. 3.27 to have put on Christ. And Paul desireth that he may be found in Christ Phil. 3.9 cloathed with this robe not having his owne righteousnesse which is of the law which consisteth in obedience to the Law of God but that which is through the faith of Christ. The righteousnesse which is of God by faith As Iacob got the blessing by having the goodly raiment of his elder brother put upon him Genes 27.15 so must we Now the reason why this must needs be so is evident Because that righteousnesse onely is able to justifie us before God which is perfect and absolute that hath no defect nor blemish in it such as may ablde the
right hand of my righteousnesse And Vers. 14. Feare not thou worme Iacob thou that art so base and contemptible in thine owne eye I will helpe thee saith the Lord. Yea of all the faithfull those that are now before-hand so fearfull and weake have most promises of God that he will give them strength sufficient when the time of tryall shall come Out of weakenesse they were made strong as you heard Hâ—b 11.34 My grace is sufficient for thee saith the Lord to Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse He giveth power to the saint saith the Prophet Esa. â—0 29 and to them that have no might he increaseth strength Certainly if Gods people would make use of their faith in making claim to these promises of God and challenging of him in humble prayer the performance of them unto themselves they could not be so tormented with slavish feares as they are The fourth and last corruption that much troubleth the best of Gods people is the hardnesse of their hearts they cannot mourne they say nor weep for their sinnes they are not sensible either of the judgements or mercies of God they cannot pray nor heare nor read nor receive with any feeling or affection at all See how Gods people complaine and were afflicted with this Esa 63.17 Why hast thou hardened our heart from thy feâ—râ— Now the best way that any soule can take to cure this stoninesse of the heart to make it soft and tender able to mourne kindly for sinne and to serve God with feeling and affection is to get assurance by a lively faith of Gods love to him in Christ and of the forgivenesse of his sinnes Foure notable experiments we have for this two in the old Testament and two in the new The first is that of Gods people mentioned in Ezek. 36.28 31. after that they were become Gods people and God was become their God and he had saved them from all their uncleannesses as you read Vers. 28 29. that is after that they were entred into the covenant of grace assured of Gods favour and of the forgivenesse of their sinnes then shall ye remember saith the Lord of them Vers. 31. your owne evill wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your owne sight for your iniquity and for your abominations Nothing hath that force to make a man loath himselfe for his sinnes as the knowledge and consideration of Gods love in the pardoning of his sinnes and the receiving of him into a covenant of grace and mercy that hath beene so extreamely unworthy of it The second experiment of this force of faith to soften the heart is that of Gods people whom the Prophet speaketh of Zach. 12.10 that they should mourne as one mourneth for his onely sonne and be in bitternesse as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne And the Prophet alledgeth two causes of this 1. The Spirit of grace that God had powred upon them that is the Spirit of adoption whereby God had assured their hearts of his favour and love in Christ. 2. The looking upon Christ whom they had pierced that is the weighing with themselves seriously what Christ had done and suffred for them And therfore also it is said they mourned for him they were in bitternesse for him It is the Spirit of grace and adoption assuring us of Gods fatherly love to us in Christ it is the weighing with our selves seriously how dearely Christ hath loved us that will make us mourne for sinne more than for any thing in the world all the terrours of the law all the judgements of God are of no force to soften the heart in comparison of this The third experiment of this is in Mary Magdalen Luke 7. Of her we read Ver. 38. that she had a very soft heart she was able to weep abundantly for her sinnes so abundantly as she could wash Christs feet with her teares And what was it that made her heart so soft Surely the knowledge and assurance she had of Christs marvellous love to her in pardoning her sinnes her so many and so hainous sinnes was that that did it as our Saviour plainely telleth us Vers. 43 48. The fourth and last example is that of Peter of whom we read Luke 22.62 that he had a most soft heart he was able to weepe bitterly for his sinnes And what was it that wrought so upon his heart That the Holy Ghost telleth us Vers. 61. The Lord turned and looked upon Peter and Peter remembred the Word of the Lord how he had said unto him before the cocke crow thou shalt deny me thrice When he considered the marvellous love of Christ to him that though he had so shamefully denied and forsaken him yet he was pleased still in the midst of all his troubles to think upon him to have care of him to turn himself about and cast a gracious eye upon him this brought Peter to remember what he had done this even broke his heart and made him weep abundantly And surely look what force a true and lively faith had in all these examples the same it would have in us if we did stir it up and make use of it as they did The true cause why our hearts are so hard is this that either we have no faith no assurance of Gods love to us in Christ or if we have it we make not use of it unto this work of softning our hearts For all that are in the covenant of grace reconciled to God in Christ have this promise given them of God Ezek. 11.19 which is also repeated 36.26 I will take saith the Lord the stony heart out of their flesh and I will give them an heart of flesh And if any of the faithfull when they are most troubled with the hardnesse of their hearts could make claime unto this promise and presse the Lord with it as he loveth to be importuned as you may see Luke 18.1 7 certainely they might have helpe against it And so much for the force that faith hath in the first part of our sanctification for the mortifying of sinne The second part I must leave till the next day Lecture CXLI On Psalme 51.7 Febr. 23. 1629. IT followeth now that I shew you likewise the force of justifying faith in the second part of true sanctification in making us partakers of the divine nature and renewing the image of God in our hearts in producing the fruits of the Spirit in us in the breeding and working of every saving grace When a man is once justified by faith in Christ is reconciled unto God through his bloud then shall he bring forth fruit unto God and never till then This will make the heart of a man fruitfull in holinesse and righteousnesse and nothing but this will ever be able to doe it For the first that is to say that faith will make the heart fruitfull we have a plaine proofe in that speech of the
faith that God hath so loved him hee cannot choose but love him againe and serve him out of love and not out of feare onely Faith worketh by love saith the Apostle Galathians 5.6 As if hee had said The first and chiefe fruit that it putteth forth and whereby it sheweth that life and efficacy that is in it is this it breedeth in the heart that hath it an unfained love unto God Yea proportionable to our faith and the assurance wee have of Gods love to us will our love unto God bee Many sinnes are forgiven her saith our Saviour Luke 7.47 for shee loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth but a little Certainely beloved the true cause why the most of us beare no more love to God and goodnesse then wee doe is this that either wee have no faith no assurance of Gods love to us in the pardon of our sinnes or els wee have knowne but few sinnes by our selves and have beene but a little humbled for sinne and therefore we are not much affected with the mercy and love that God hath shewed to us in the pardon of our sinnes Now for the force that is in justifying faith to quicken and enable us unto every good duty which is the second particular that I promised to speake of I might be large in the handling of it There is no good duty either towards God or man that thou findest thy selfe most backward in but if thou hadst faith to assure thee of Gods love to thee in Christ and to beleeve the promises that God hath made unto that duty and if thou wouldst also stirre up and exercise thy faith in meditating of Gods mercy and love and of those particular promises thou shouldst find thy selfe thereby made farre more able to performe that duty and to performe it in a holy and comfortable manner then thou art This is that whereby David was wont to prepare himselfe to Gods publique worship I will goe to thine house saith hee Psalme 5.7 in the multitude of thy mercies But I will instance and that briefly too but in two particular duties that is to say the hearing of the word and prayer For the first No man can heare the Word with any affection and fruit till he have faith and be thereby perswaded of Gods love to him in Christ. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.2 3. that you may grow thereby if so bee yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious As if he should say Then and not till then you shall be able to doe it God hath made many promises to such as heare his Word Generall promises 1. Hee will ever assist this ordinance and worke with it Matthew 28.20 Goe teach all nations and loe I am with you to the end of the world 2. That hee will save the soules of his people by this ordinance Iames 1.21 Esa. 55.3 3. That by this ordinance hee will begin grace and convert the soule Psalme 19.7 4. That by this ordinance hee will increase and perfect grace where hee hath begun it Vnto you that heare shall more bee given saith our Saviour Marke 4.24 And Acts 20.32 I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build you up And particular promises God hath also made to them that attend upon this ordinance 1. That hee will by this ordinance give them strength to overcome their strongest corruptions Even a young man may cleanse his way thereby Ps. 119.9 2. That he will by this ordinance worke peace in their consciences Esa. 57.19 How falleth it out then that many of us heare constantly and find no such thing Surely the cause is rendred Hebrewes 4.2 The Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it In our hearing wee make not use of our faith to make claime to these promises and expect the performance of them unto us Secondly For prayer Till a man have some assurance by faith of the pardon of his sinnes and of Gods favour hee can never pray aright nor with any heart and affection Romanes 10 14. How shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved It is the spirit of grace that is the spirit of supplications Zach. 12.10 He that goeth to God must apprehend him and conceive of him as of his father Matthew 6.9 And on the other side hee that is by faith perswaded that God is his gracious father cannot choose but resort much to him in hearty prayer Galathians 4.6 O God thou art my God saith David Psalme 63.1 early will I seeke thee And 86.4 5. Vnto the Lord doe I lift up my soule for thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thy name Many are the promises that God hath made unto prayer Generall promises that he will heare and answer us Esa. 30.19 Hee will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when hee shall heare it he will answer thee And Iohn 16.23 Whatsoever ye shall aske the father in my name hee will give it unto you And particular promises 1. Deliverance from any trouble and affliction Psalme 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee Or strength and patience to beare it Iames 1.5 If any of you lack wisdome let him aske of God and it shall be given him 2. Whatsoever spirituall grace we stand in need of Luke 11.13 Your heavenly father will give his holy spirit to them that aske him 3. Inward joy and peace of conscience Iob 33.26 Hee shall pray to God and hee will bee favourable unto him and hee shall see his face with joy Aske and ye shall receive that your joy may be full Iohn 16.24 Why then have wee no more heart to prayer Why receive wee no more good by it Surely wee doe not make use of our faith in thinking of and trusting to these promises of God when we goe to prayer and that is a maine cause of it And let not that man thinke saith the Apostle Iames 1.7 that hee shall receive any thing from the Lord. And thus have I finished those foure Motives I promised to give for the enforcing of this exhortation Lecture CXLII On Psalme 51.7 March 2. 1629. IT followeth now that we proceed unto those signes and notes that I promised to give you whereby they that have received Christ and are justified by him may be knowne And surely there is great need that we should have signes and notes given us in Gods Word whereby this may be discerned and judged of For we finde by experience of all ages that many doe verily thinke that Christ and all his merits doe belong to them who yet did never receive him nor have any title to him at all Many will say to me in that day saith our Saviour Matth. 7.22 23. Lord Lord have we not prophesied in
may fall fearefully into odious sinnes 8 Why the Lord suffers his people to fall 9 10 The best have therefore great cause to feare 10 11 Means to keep us from falling 11 Take heed of declining in the least matters 795 When they are fallen they cannot rise up again of themselves 13 Comfort against tentations of falling away 352 357 Differences between the falls of the elect and others 355 556 Their sinne is great that rejoyce to heare and speak of them 552 And theirs that embolden themselves to sin by them 554 557 Why the falls of the godly are recorded in the Word 555 Family True converts will have a care to reforme their families 288 630 Such as have children and families are charged with the soules of them 289 481 Must answer for their open proâ—anenesse and contempt of religion 711 Fast. Humiliation necessary in every fast and for what causes we should be humbled 311 313 Feeling A man may be in the state of grace and highly in Gods favour though be feele is not nor have the comfort of it 140 141 Feare of God That may be well done that is done cut of feare of Gods judgements 387 But it must be such a feare as is mixed with love 388 A man may be subject to slavish feares and yet truly love God 392 Reasons of it 393 394 We must strive against these feares 395 6 Means to overcome them 396 734 735 He that is in the state of grace must be affraid to sin 569 570 Must feare every degree of sin must continue in this feare Ibid Faith the root of it 741 Freedome of will How dead we are by nature 305 517 518 Wicked men have no true desire nor wiâ—l tâ— have grace and to be saved 454 455 Wicked men may forbeare many sinnes and doe much more good than they do 457 He that doth what lieth in him is nearer to salvation than another naturall man 458 The naturall man is able to â—â—ve to men and to himselfe but not to God 518 G. God HIs omnipresence and omniscience 221 222 His holinesse 222 His Maiesty 223 His goodnesse and bounty 224 Gods love Wicked men are perswaded God loveth them and hee doth indeed with a common love 398 Faith assures us of Gods speciall love 400 Rest not in common favours but get assurance of Gods speciall love 401 402 687 688 Motives to seeke for assurance of Gods speciall love 402 406 Meanes to get it 406 c Grace We are bound to give God thanks for his restraining grace in others 337. In our selves 339 Saving grace is of a permanent and durable nature 428 Gospell The preaching of the Gospell is the outward instrument whereby the Spirit workes sanctification 732 H. Hearers TO love and reverence Gods Ministers 22 167 What Ministry they should most prize 22 23 Yet must they esteeme reverently of the meanest faithfull Minister 23 Reprooâ—e of hearers that love not their Ministers person 24 That discourage their Ministers 480 That regard not his Ministry 24 169 The danger of such as neglect to heare 26 That heare without profit 27 528 Many complaine without cause they cannot profit by the Word 528 What the true causes are men profit not by the Word 529 What they must do that have long enjoyed the Ministry of the Word and cannot profit by it 530 Hearers must examine what they heare 790 How wee may heare with profit 30 c. 742 1. What we must do before 30 35 792 2. What in hearing 35 39 3. What after 39 44 Resort to Ministers for resolution 43 Heart Grosse sinnes harden the heart 14 15 16 Hardnesse of heart a â—earefull judgement 16 Meanes to deliver and preserve us from it 16 17 735 Make conscience of the first stirâ—ings of thy corruption there 317 When God hath a mans heart it is a signe of uprightnesse 438 c. 463 Signes that the purpose and desire of the heart is right 465 Honour Whom God accounts truly honourable 286 Hope A sound hope that when wee shall die wee shall goe to heaven a speciall meanes of patience 270 Signes of a true hope 271 Humiliation The knowledge of our naturall corruption is of great force to humble us 308 We have cause to be humbled when wee have performed our best duties 309 When we go before God in prayer Ibid. Specially at fasts 311 And at the Sacrament 574 Seeking assurance of Gods favour with an humbled soule is a speciall meanes to obtaine it 408 647 Humiliation for sinne a speciall meanes to obtaine sanctified knowledge 498 He that is in the state of grace â—ath more cause to be humbled for his grosse sinnes than any other man 573 Foure benefits of â—ound humiliation 574 The humbled soule most capable of mercy 647 648 None fit to receive Christ but the humble and such as find themselves utterly void of all grace 691 Hypocrisie The best are apt to suspect themselves to be hypocrites 460 Comfort for such 461 Many things in an hypocrite better than in any meere naturall man 697 An hypocrite may go farre 698 c. The good things in them not to be misliked and scorned 699 In some respects the hypocrite is worse and in worse case than the open profane person 719 Signes of an hypocrite 720 c I. Idlenesse A Great sinne for any man to live idly and un-profitably 125 Idolatry It is a good thing and pleasing to God to hate Idolatry 712 714 Ignorance Is a sinne that much provokes God 494 It is a signe one is under Sathans power 496 Such a one easily seduced Ibid. Such an one is full of doubts and feares 497 Infants Every Infant so soone as it is borne or conceived is guilty of sin in the sight of God and deserveth to be damned 277 In what respects called Innocents Ibid. And said to be holy 278 How severe God hath beene in his judgements towards some Infants 279 280 The originall corruption of Infants consists in three things Ibid Observe Gods judgements on them 281 The sin that is in Infants is derived to them from their parents 282 Infidelity The hainousnesse of that sin 146 147 Notwithstanding Infidelity discerned and bewailed a man may trust in Gods mercy 648 682 Infirmities Foure notes to discerne a sin of infirmity from a reigning sin 709 Ioy. The humble-hearted man hath great cause of Ioy. 138 Gods children have cause to be comfortable and to serve God with alacrity 364 365 He that truly believeth he is justified by Christ must needs rejoyce in him 675 c. Their great sin that do not 680 Iudgements of God The Lord sheweth his severity more in this life against the sinnes of his owne people than of the wicked 1. He afflicts all them 2. Begins with them 542 543. 3. He usually makes them examples 544. 4. His judgements are wont to be heavier and sharper on them 545 This be doth to keep them from sin and perdition 546 He getteth himselfe glory from