sicut agnitus sum nay Cbrysostome makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Causall I shall know because I am approved 2. I shall know as I am made to know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Beza and which is a wonder Heinsus agrees with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he and indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he tells us if we would render the words Hellenistically they would run thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall so know as God is pleased to be known by me to manifest himself unto me And yet Piscator rejects both these senses the words themselves being sufficiently tempered with the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not anote of equality but of similitude as in many other places And thus much may serve for explication of the text for clearing the glasse for opening the Aenigma If you now look into the words you 'l finde them full of Spiritual Opticks Here is Visio reflexa for now we see through a glasse darkly and here is Visio recta but then face to face We will begin with the Catoptrica Now we see through a glasse darkly and here I shall present many glasses to your view First In the glasse of the Creature in speculo mundi This is a common and obvious glasse presented to every ones view and there are some glimmerings of common light a lumen naturae diffused among all by which they may see into it Our Apostle shews us this glasse in Rom. 1. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The invisible things of God from the Creation of the world are clearly seen The words in the fountain run thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and deserve to be cleared from an unjust interpretation for some would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be à creaturamundi others à creatione mundi ex creatione mundi so Beza But all these are far enough from the meaning of the place for their sense is That the invisible things of God are seen by the creatures or by the creation It is true our Apostle saith so much in this verse but not in these very words for then it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when as I doubt not but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à mundo condito Piscator and Drusius both meet in this and the Syriack translation is clear for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à jactis mundi fundamentis And then the words speak thus much From the first infancy of the world ever since it was created the eternal power and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned in the former verse and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning of this verse the eternal power and Godhead have manifested themselves and the prime cause hath been very apparent in those effects of his which are here stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and could not possibly be produced by any inferiour Being And as for that which we render is clearly seen in the Original it is no more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know not how it comes to denote so clear a vision sure it may well consist with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet withal they are so clearly seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though some would have the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet here I shall easily yield to the learned Interpreter and grant that it includes somewhat more This vast volume of the creatures set out by God himself without any errata in it was printed in so fair a character as he that ran might read it and the least letter in it made shew of a most Divine impression But alas sin besides weakening of the souls eye hath soyled and defaced the book and hence we come to see in it so darkly And yet still the letters are visible and carry with them the print of a Deity The world is as one calls it Aenigma Dei And it is full of looking-glasses for God hath communicated severall resemblances of himself to the creature as the face sheds that image or species upon the glasse whereby it self is represented I need not speak of the blessed Angels those pure and crystal mirrours what glorious representations they give of their Creatour Look but into your selves and you will finde immortall souls shewing forth that image according to which they were made or if you will look up to that vast and polished looking-glasse you will see The heavens declaring the glory of God and the firmament shewing his handy work Or cast but an eye upon the poorest and most abject Being and even there you will finde some faint resemblances of a Deity For as in the most glorious creature as a creature there is aliquid nihili so in the most contemptible creature as a creature there is aliquid Dei I but the Atheist â—e shuts his eyes quid caeco cum speculo what should a blinde man do with a looking-glasse And yet sometimes there are lightening flashes of terrour darted into him and he begins with the Devils to believe and tremble The Papists as if there were not glasses enough of Gods making they must have images of their own to put them in minde of God their painted glasses but surely they see through these very darkly The Heathens they shall be judged for not ordering their lives and dressing themselves according to this glasse for resisting those reliques of primitive light that shined out so strongly upon them Well here are glasses but we see in them very darkly and that by reason of a double defect 1. Ex parte speculi 'T is true some of Gods attributes here clearly shew themselves his power and Sovereignty I and his wisdome and goodnesse too but those sweetest manifestations of his love the treasures of free grace and infinite mercy the whole plot of the Gospel not the least shadow of these to be found Now for this very cause the Gentiles in Eph. 2. 12. are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were without the knowledge of God in Christ You know they had a goodly company of gods an whole troop of Deities I but they were without God in Christ and hence they are stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without God in the world 2. Ex parte â—culi 1. Adam in innocency had a glorious soul full of light bright and sparkling eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He could read the smallest print the least jot and tittle in the book of Nature See how quickly he tumbles o're the vast volume and in a name gives a brief glosse upon every creature a concise epitome of their naturall histories He had a fair portion of knowledge if he could have been contented with it I but he would fain have more he must needs be tasting of the tree of Knowledge and hence springs our ignorance we have
is as impossible for Israel to perish as for God to lose his glory And will not remember thy sins The sinful soul is full of doubts and suspicions Certainly saith he if God should let me alone now he will call me to acount for them hereafter If he seem to blot them out now he will write them again sometime or other No saith God I 'le blot out thy transgressions and will not remember thy sins 'T is an ordinary speech in the mouth of some silly ones they will forgive but never forget it had need have a very candid construction a grain of salt is scarce enough to make it savory but God never forgives but he doth forget too when he blots out iniquities he remembers them no more When the sins are laid upon the head of the scape-goat they are then carried into a land of forgetfulnesse I suppose you recall the usual rule Verba Memoriae denotant affectum effectum He will not remember them so as to call thee to account for them so as to upbraid thee with them so as any way to punish thee for them Guilt and punishmeat are correlates such Twinnes as live and dye together when the one 's remitted the other 's never retain'd For 1. 'T were injustice to punish where there is no fault God indeed may out of his absolute dominion and sovereignty inflict an evill upon an innocent creature but then it falls not under the formal notion of a punishment and doth inflict evils upon his own people which flow from a fatherly castigation and not from a judicial proceeding 2. 'T is against the very nature of remission Do you call that forgiving of a debt to cast a man into prison for not discharging it or is that pardoning of a Traitour to behead him for his treason 3. 'T is injurious to the full satisfaction of Christ who drunk up the whole cup all the dregs of wrath not a drop of that bitter cup left for a Christian no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there they do indeed pledge him but 't is in a sweeter draught and not at all in satisfaction to divine justice 'T is an impious speech and fit for the mouth that spoke it worthy of a Jesuite that calls Christians sufferings Fimbrias meritorum Christi but he may touch this hemme of the Garment and finde no vertue coming out from it Christs Resurrection was a full and plain aquittance a clear and apparent signe that iniquities were all blotted out Quest But doth not God revive former sinnes and reprint such iniquities as he hath once blotted out Answ He doth indeed but in abundance of love and bowels of free grace not as an angry and revenging God but 't is to make thy tepentance for them more deep and serious And though God remember them no more yet there 's good reason that the soul should still remember them First to make it more thankful to him that he blotted them out Secondly to walk more humbly Thirdly more watchfully and accurately 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus we have took a brief survey of the Text wee 'l now strain the quintessence of all into one observation Justifying grace is free grace He blots out iniquities for his own sake Every justifi'd person is a monument of free grace or in the Psalmists language he 's crown'd with loving kindnesse and tender mercies The grace of God is free grace and that First If you look to the Spring from whence it flowes That Originall goodnesse that fountain-mercy in Election when he singl'd out a peculiar people to himself there were beamings out of his love and blossomings of his grace towards thee from everlasting He was plotting and studying thy happinesse long before thou hadst any being Thou wert Gods Jewel from all eternity his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he casts a propitious glance upon thee And thy time was the time of love He took thee as the Jewel out of the rubbish of ruinated mankinde out of the Massa corrupta and in his due time he means to polish thee and to set a glorious lustre upon thee Now what was there that God should smile on Jacob and frowne on Esau from all eternity What was there in thee to perswade him to all this What were the motives Where were the arguments What was the Rhetorick 1. It was long before thou hadst any being thou wert hid in the barren wombe of nothing thou hadst no desire no thought of happinesse and I can't well understand the merite of a non-entity 2. God might have had great revenues of glory out of thy eternall ruine now that he should choose to glorifie the riches of his mercy in thy happinesse and salvation was most free grace Two books were before him he might have writ thy name in his black book with fatall and bloudy characters and made his justice glorious in thy miserie and damnation I but he took the book of life and with the point of a Diamond writ thy name there thus to make his love wonderful in thy salvation 3. Consider how few God then chose unto himself Out of those many worlds which he might have made out of that which he did make he pickt out a few here and there they all make up but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little diminutive flock a little little flock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The major part of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it lyes drench't and drown'd in wickednesse How comes it now that thou dost not go with the generality but art one of the little number is not this free grace God hath riches of grace for many more and yet he would spend it all upon a few he would contract and concentricate his love in them Et quantò pauciores filios habet tantò cariores 'T is St Pauls reason that he might make known the riches of glory upon the vessels of honour this was the very end that they might admire his goodnesse the more and tell stories of free grace to all eternity 4. Don't think that this was out of any prevision of worth and excellencie in thee more then in another For 1. This makes the prime wheeling cause wholly dependent upon inferior movers The great Creator of Heaven and Earth must wait upon mans liberum arbitrium if the creature please to determine thus or thus then he must copy out his decree accordingly 2. They speak as if they had never seen the nineth to the Romans What was it that prevail'd with the Potter to make one vessell to honour and the other to dishonour Was it because this was the more refined Earth and so fitter for a vessell of Honour No saith St. Paul of the very same lumpe he made one a vessel to honour and the other to dishonour And God lov'd Jacob and hated Esau before they had done either good or evil Now if Jacob would certainly have done good of his own accord 't was all one as if 't
foot-steps of this in Nature some obscure representations of this truth there The Sun it do's not monopolize its beams and engrosse its light but scatters them abroad gilds the whole world with them it shines more for others then it self it is a publick light Look on a fountaine it do's not binde in its streams seale up it self and enclose its waters but spends it self with a continual bubbling forth it streams forth in a fluent liberal and communicative manner it is a publick spring Nay natural bodies will part with their own properties leave their motions nay crosse their own inclinations for a general good The Aire a light and nimble body that mounts upwards and do's naturally ascend yet for an universal good rather then there shall be a breach and rupture in nature a vacuum it will descend for the stopping of that hiatus In the body of man the inferiour members will venter themselves for the good of the whole The hand will be cut off and lose its own being rather then the head shall be endanger'd you see some shadowes of this truth in Nature 3. And the weak and glimmering light of Nature shews thus much that a man is not borne for himself alone he is a sociable â—reature and sent into the world for the good of others The â—oice of an Heathen A mans countrey and his friend and others challenge great part of him It is a miserable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make his own self the centre of all his actions 4. Consider that every mans private welfare is included in the publick The welfare of Meroz depended upon Israels safety what would have become of Meroz if the rest of their fellow-brethren had perisht So that it was a part of great folly in Meroz not to come out to the help of Israel When the disease seazes upon a vitall part as the head or the heart or the like so as to endanger the whole then every member is in danger though for the present they may be free from paine The well-being of every private man depends on the publick good A single drop is soon dry'd up and consum'd I but a drop in the Ocean when 't is united to a multitude of other drops 't is there more safe and a drop by it self is weak and can make no resistance I but a drop in the Ocean is terrible Men have a more safe and a more honourable being as joyn'd to the whole then taken single by themselves A single drop can do nothing but a multitude of drops joyn'd together will make a stream and carry all before them A single beame is obscure but in the Sun the centre of rayes meeting in the publick point they are glorious And these arguments may prevaile with you as men living in common society but then as Christians I. Consider that Gods children have been alwayes of this disposition of publick spirits seeking the glory of God and the good of Sion Exod. 32. 32. If not blot me I pray thee out of thy Book Moses out of a pang of vehement zeale would part with his own happinesse rather then Israel should perish If it would make more for the glory of God he would be content to be damn'd or at least to have the beams of Gods favourable presence withdrawn from him Rom. 9. 3. I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ or separated for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh for the Jews Israelites which is meant of the poena damni I could be content to have the face of Christ hid from me for my brethrens sake as Gods face was once hid from Christ upon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me A most strong affection and zeale for the publick good Paul knew what the face of Christ was how glorious a sight it was to see God face to face And he knew what answer God had given to Moses too Him that sinnes him will I blot out of my Book And yet out of a most ardent desire of the salvation of the Jews he will part with the face of Christ so they may be saved here were publick spirits indeed What should I tell you of Vriah that famous Souldier his brave and heroical resolution how he would take no complacency in outward things and marke his reason 2 Sam 11. 11. The Arke and Israel and Judah abide in tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields as if he should say What shall the Arke be in danger and shall Vriah be secure Or shall my Lord Joab be more forward then I am in Israels cause As thou livest and as thy soul liveth I will not do this thing He raps out an Oath like a Souldier which he might have well spar'd but yet he shews a most generous and publick spirit And this was no small aggravation of Davids sin 137. Psalme See how the Psalmist and the rest of Gods people behave themselves By the rivers of Babylon we sate down and wept when we remembred thee O Sion We hanged our Harpes upon the Willows in the midst thereof If I forget thee Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning David had a most delicate touch upon the Harpe a soft and silken touch He could still Saul's evil spirit with his Musick but if I forget thee Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning And when did Jeremy make his Lamentation that whole book of mourning but when the glory of Sion was laid in the dust when Ierusalem the Lady of Nations was made desolate Gods people have been alwayes of publick spirits and have sympathiz'd with the Church II. That you may follow so good example think whose cause it is The cause of Israel is the cause of God To the help of the Lord c. Can you have a better cause The good of the Church and the glory of God are knit together by an act of Gods gracious will So that he that seeks the good of the Church do's in the same act seek the glory of God And he that helps not Israel comes not out to the help of the Lord. Now you are bound to maintaine the cause of God and to help the Lord. 1. By many and severall engagements As creatures at his beck he has a sovereignty and dominion over you Not to obey the great God is to deny his supremacy You are bound in a way of thankfulnesse to stand for him and his cause by those sweet mercies those precious pledges of his love which he every moment heaps upon you by those many blessings that come swimming to you in the blood of a Saviour 2. By many Promises Vowes Protestations Your first and Originall vow in Baptisme obliges you to maintaine the cause of God and of his Church against all the enemies thereof And you have often repeated this Vow and seal'd it again in the Lords Supper for you know that 's a sealing up of
the Covenant Now what 's the Covenant but this That he shall be your God and you shall be his people And then you can't but remember a late Vow that you have made too the very summe of which was this to stand for the publick good 3. Certainty to prosper it is the cause of God A Christian is of the surest side of the winning side There 's none but has a minde to prosper then pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that love thee There 's none can eclipse the glory of God it 's beyond the limited power of a creature to dimme the lustre of his Crown God will maintaine his own cause or else he should lose of his glory his mighty Arme will get himself the victory Christ is the Captain of this Church and he is the chiefest often thousand the Ensigne-bearer And this is comfort enough for a Christian the enemies must conquer Christ before they can overcome his Church Christ the head of the Church is impregnable This is the second ground why Christians must stand for the cause of the Church because 't is the cause of God to which they are bound 1. By engagements many and great 2. By Vows 3. Encouraged with certainty of successe III. A Christian's bound to be of a publick spirit by vertue of the communion of Saints Every Christian's a member of Christs mysticall body and so must take care for the good of the whole He that is united to Christ the Head must be knit also to the other members He that do's not sympathize with the Church is not of the body He that can hear of the breaches of Sion and the decayes of Ierusalem He that can see the apples of Gods eye pierc't through and not be affected with it will ye call such members of Christs body He that is not truely affected with the bleeding condition of the Christians in Ireland do's virtually and in effect deny this Article of his Creed The Communion of Saints IV. It is against the Mighty Christians had need have publike spirits because they have publick enemies the Devil a publick enemy Antichrist a publick enemy They are private enough in respect of their malice and subtlety but publick in force and opposition As there is the paw of the Lion for strength so there is the head of the Serpent for wisdome but yet the head of the Serpent is broken their wisdome infatuated He that is in heaven can counterplot them and laugh them to scorne But yet thus much you may learn of the enemies of the Church to study the publick good They seek the ruine of the whole and why should not you seek the welfare of the whole If they be so sedulous and industrious so forward and active in a bad cause will you be negligent and remisse in the best cause in the cause of God in the helping of the Lord All that they do they 'l tell you 't is for the Catholick cause they are for the publick What won't a Jesuite do for the Catholick cause Hee 'l compasse Sea and Land to gaine one proselyte They do publick mischiefs and have a malignant and venomous influence into all places where they come and why should not Christians do as publick service for God as they do for the Devil Come out therefore against the mâ—ghty to the help of the Lord. That which was Meroz his excuse perhaps because the Canaanites were mighty ones therefore they durst not come out against them this God makes the very aggravation of their sin for if the enemies were mighty Israel had more need of their help and aide Curse ye Meroz saith the Angel of the Lord c. And Meroz might have consider'd that as there are mighty enemies so there is a mighty God too an Almighty God that can crush proud Sisera and dash in pieces the strongest enemy And now by this time you have seen that 't is but fit and equall for a Christian to be of a publick spirit to come out to the help of the Lord. 2. The manner how every Christian may promote the publick good And here by way of premisall 1. It must be in a lawful and warrantable way They that come out to help the Lord must help him in his own wayes such wayes as his word allowes or else they do not help the Lord but offend the Lord in breaking his commandments Job 13. 7. Will you speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him Do's Gods glory depend upon mans sin do's he allow any man to sin for the advancing of his glory Nay do's he not forbid it and detest it It is a clear and undenyable truth of our Saviour You must not do evil that good may come of it A speech of one of the Ancients You must not tell the least lie if you could save the whole Church by it You remember the clause in the Protestation as far as lawfuy I may he that seeks the publick good in an unlawfull course breaks his Protestation To the right conducting of an action besides the intention of an end truely there must be also the choice of just direct means for the accomplishing of it 2. In a prudent and orderly way They that come out to the help of the Lord must keep their ranks The Starres fought in their courses against Sisera Christians must keep their severall stations if there be confusion you can't tell a Canaanite from an Israelite a friend from a foe Let every Christian that studies the publick good keep his own place The Magistrate his the Ministers theirs and the people also theirs And now there are some wayes very good and warrantable by which Christians may come out to the help of the Lord and to the aiding of Israel 1. By Prayer To be sure this is a lawful meanes I and 't is a prevalent means too and has great influence upon the publick good Exod. 17. 11. When Moses held up his hand then Israel prevail'd 'T is a speciall benefit that Christians have by the communion of Saints the prayers one of another There 's a stock of prayers the Church has and the weakest Christian has a share in it Thou hast the benefit of many Christians prayer whose face thou never sawest whom thou never heard'st of perhaps he lives in America or some remote corner of the world but wheree're he be thou hast the benefit of his prayer as a member of the mystical body For there 's no prayer put up to God for his Church but it encludes every particular member of the Church in it so that prayer do's wonderfully promote the publick good Pray for the peace of Jerusalem pray for it that 's the way to have it And many an one that can use no other means yet may use this There 's many can't help the Christians in Ireland but there 's no Christian but may pray for them There 's many that can't fight against the Rebels and yet they can
not be wrought upon not be much mov'd with it Men are more affected with their own private good then with the publick and more mov'd with private miseries then publick If they themselves be in the least danger or some of their neer friends then you shall have mourning and sighing and lamentation But if the Church lye a bleeding the Saints those precious ones be kill'd all the day long and accounted as sheep for the slaughter they can be merry enough for all this How many are there that have not shed a teare for Ireland That have not spent a sigh for them nor put up a prayer for them God he has a Bottle for your teares and he knows how many you have put into it I am sure it will hold a great many more then you have shed I speak not so much for outward weeping there 's many perhaps can't shed a tear upon any occasion But I call for a spirit of mourning a sympathizing spirit a spirit took up with the publick good as its best employment O how many are there that this bitter curse of Meroz will fall heavy upon And upon your dayes of humiliation be sure to humble your selves for this your want of a publick spirit your not praying for the peace of Ierusalem How do you know but that if you had sent up more prayers to heaven God might have free'd the distressed Christians by this time As they are guilty of the Christians blood in an high degree that shed it in a most inhumane manner so I know not how they can excuse themselves from some guilt of it that do not help them by prayers and endeavours as much as in them lyes 2. It is against all such as are in a kinde of indifferency and neutrality they neither are for one nor other What is this but the very same case with Meroz Meroz did not fight against Israel it did not fight for the Canaanites no but it did not come out to the help of Israel and therefore it has this bitter curse Vain men that think to content themselves with this that they do not hurt but every man that do's not good do's hurt he most do either one or other the soul is not idle it is either doing good or evil Suppose that a man did no hurt yet this is not enough unlesse he do s good too for there are sins of Omission as well as of Commission Not doing of publick good is a publick hurt 3. By way of Gradation à majori ad majus If there be such a bitter curse upon Meroz for their negligence and remissenesse in duty for not coming out against the Mighty what severe judgments and dregs of wrath shall be pour'd out upon all them that come out against the Lord that are against the publick good that wish ill to Sion that would fain see her in the dust that hate and persecute Christians that oppose the power of Religion and the life of the Gospel that are in the very gall of bitternesse All the curses that are written and not written shall flame against them and the vials of Gods fiercest wrath shall be emptyed upon them Meroz's curse is bitter but in respect of theirs sweet and easie Blesse God for men of publick spirits for Zerubbabels and Jehoshuah's such as are building God a Temple Pray God to encrease the number of publick spirits such as may come out to the help of the Lord. As there 's a great and bitter curse lay'd upon Meroz for being negligent in the cause of God so there are choice and eminent blessings for such as are forward and active in it God will abundantly recompence all the labour of love which any shall shew for his name Their labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord. THE White Stone OR A Learned and Choice TREATISE OF Assurance Very useful for all but especially weak BELIEVERS 2 PET. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure ASsurance of salvation is a truth of great and precious consequence of sweet and comfortable influence into the whole life of a Christian A truth which has scarce had liberty to unmask and shew it self in former times and so has seldome or never been fully treated of A truth which could never be more welcome and seasonable then in times of danger and uncertainty when all other things are in a doubtful and wavering condition then to make our calling and election sure to set up a spiritual Militia and to put the soul in a posture of defence in such an heavenly preparation as it may be fit to meet with all conditions He shall not be afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in God He is just like the Philosophers good man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 four-square that cast him where you will like a Dy he falls alwayes sure and square He 's built upon the same foundation that the whole Church of God is He 's built upon a Rock and though the Waves dash and the windes rise though the storme encrease and the floods beat in yet the house stands the foundation 's sure 't is built upon a Rock and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it I 'le make him a pillar in the Temple of my God as Christ promises to the Church of Philadelphia even like one of those Pillars in Solomons Temple The name of the one was Jachin and of the other Booz nothing but stability and strength as the words imply Christian Assurance fortifies the soul and prepares it against all conditions Now as for the drift of our Apostle in this chapter 't was to perswade the Christian Churches of â—onous Gaâ—atia Cappadocia Asia Bithynia to whom he wrote that they would be fruitful and abundant in the graces of God that they would grow in grace and adde grace to grace and so to increase in them all till they came to a full and perfecâ— stature in Christ For â—e that lacks these saith the Apostle is blinde and cannot see afarrâ— off he is poreblinde and cannot see so farre as heaven and heavenly things And theu he is forgetful too of the very first principles and rudiments of Grace he forgets that he was purg'd from his former sins in the Lavour of Regeneration in Baptisme when he first enter'd into Covenant with God Wherefore do â—e rather give diligence to make your calling c. You that have a spiritual eye and an enlight'ned soul and can disceâ—ne the things of God and you that are mindful of the Covenant made with him do you brethren give c. for this if any thing will make you fruitful in the works of Grace for by these you must maintain your Assurance these are the fruits and evidences of your solvation the fruits of the Spirit and the first fruits of eternal life Christians that make their Calling and Election sure will and must be fruitful in good works The Papists
the tuning of the several strings makes them sound out his praise more melodiously O how comely is it to see the sweet context and coherence of Beings the loving connexion and concatenation of causes one being espous'd to another in faithfulnesse and truth the mutual claspings and twinings the due benevolence of entities Behold how goodly a thing it is and pleasant to behold Beings like Brethren to dwell together in unity It calls to minde those precious drops of love that fall from the head of the first Being and fell down upon the skirts of inferiour entities And is not there as much of this love to be seen in the new Creation in the work of grace in the soul Is not the foundation of the second Temple laid in love is not the top and pinacle of it set up by a hand of love Are not the polishings and carvings of it the works and expressions of love the witty inventions of love Is not the structure maintain'd and repair'd at the constant expences of love Is it not inhabited by a Prince of love one more loving then Solomon is there nay what is the whole Gospel else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cluster of Redemption as some render it what is it else but a bundle of love The Law that was an hammer to break hearts I but the Gospel that 's a key to open hearts And truly all the terrours of Mount Sina the thunder-claps and the lightning flashes the earth-quakes and the smoaking of the Mountain and the voice of the Trumpet have not so much power and prevalency in them as one still drop that falls from Mount Sion You are now come to the Mount of Olives a Mount of Peace and sweetnesse a Mount that drops fatnesse and in this Mount will Christ be seen And he comes to restore all things to their Primitive love he restores the powers and faculties of the soul to their first and original concord he knits his gifts and graces in the bond of love he comes to reconcile Beings to make antipathies kisse each other The Wolfe and the Lambe must be at peace the Leopard and the Kid must lye down together The whole Gospel like the midst of Solomons bed in the Canticles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is pav'd with Love Now sure you can't question whether this be the more prevailing way For O think but a while what a potent oratory there is in love what a wellcome tyrannie what a silken bondage what a downy and soft necessity Glorious things are spoken of thee thou Lady and Queen of Affections thou art the first-borne of the soul and the beginning of its strength Who would not be captivated by so sweet a Conquerour Who would not be melâ—ed in so delicate a flame What heart would not entertain so pleasant an arrow The Psalmist was struck through with one of thy darts when he panted so after the streams of water The Apostle Paul had another of thy arrowes sticking fast in him when he cryed out The love of Christ constrains me Vulnus â—lit venis Sâ—cro carpitur igni Beleeve it the strongest arguments are fetcht out of Loves Topicks We need not use many perswasions to such a soul it has a fountain of Rhetorick within There is a present expansion and amplification of spirit for the wellcomming of so happy an object O how will such a soul twine about a Precept suck sweetnesse out of a Command catch at an opportunity long for a Duty How do's it go like a Bee from flower to flower from Duty to Duty from Ordinance to Ordinance and extract the very spirits and quintessence of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crop the very tops of all There will be in such a soul the constant returnings and reboundings of love 'T will retort the beams of heaven 't will send back the stream of its affection into the Ocean So that now as the soul is assur'd of the love of God so God also has a most absolute certainty that the soul will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus is compleated the sweet and perfect circle of Love Now there cannot be a more strong and a more mutual security then that which is thus founded And therefore nature chooses to maintain her self by these impressions We see this plainly in filial and conjugal relations where the sweetest and surest obedience flowes from principles of love And where is there more certainty then amongst friends where there is a borrowing and lending of souls a mutual exchange and transmigration of souls Now you know all these Relations are clarifi'd and refin'd in grace you are the friends of God nay you are the Sons of God you are the Spouse of Christ And the Apostle John that speaks so much of Assurance and tells you that a Christian can't sin consider but a while who he was Why he was the Beloved Disciple he that lay in the bosome of love and breathed out nothing but pure love I and his reason 't is founded in a relation of love He cannot sin because he is borne of God He resolves it into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that same impression of love that abides in him 3. Consult a while with your own experience and observation and then tell us whether ever you knew any to walk more accurately with their God then such as were assur'd of his love If you look up to heaven there you see glorious Angels and glorifi'd Saints that have not only a full Assurance but a full possession of the love of their God that are no longer taking a prospect of Canaan but are now feeding upon the fruits and clusters of the land of Promise that have not only some scatter'd and broken beams of glory but a constant and an eternal Sun-shine And O how do they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have not only as we here below some drops and sprinklings of happinesse but they are at the very Fountain and have fresh bubblings of joy full streamings out of sweetnesse and can swim in the rivers of pleasure Surely these men will allow the Angels somewhat more then only to conjecture that they are happy What must glorifi'd Saints still dispute about their Summum Bonum lest they be too secure and must Angels only be of opinion that they are in heaven must they only guesse at the face of God What will they clip the wings of the Cherubims too Where has God more cheerful obedience then from these How joyfully do these ministering Spirits runne about their glorious errands How do's he bid one Go and he goes and another Come and he comes And that which sets a faire glosse upon happinesse it self is this that they are out of all possibility of displeasing their God And so they are held forth as patternes of obedience Thy will be done in earth as 't is in heaven Well but then if they tell us that there is more danger of