world But you will say Wherein should I expresse this humiliation and subjection Bee highly thankfull for any little the Lord gives Lam. 3.22 23. Be humble and judge thy selfe worthy of nothing when the Lord denies and verily you shall find the Lord Jesus ere long speaking peace unto you and giving you rest in his bosome that now art quietly contented to lye still at his feet For some helps thereunto 1. Remember whose thou art viz. the Lords clay and he thy Potter and therefore may doe with thee what he will Rom. 9.20 2. Remember what thou art viz. a polluted vessell a kind of infinite endlesse evill as I have oft said see the picture of thy own vilenesse in the damned in hell who are full and shall through all eternity powre out all manner of evill Iob 40.3 4. 3. Remember what thou hast been and how long thou hast made warre against Christ with all thy might and heart and strength why should the Lord theâ—efore choose thee before others Ier. 3.5 when as aske thy conscience was there ever such a wretch since the world began as thou hast been 4. Remember what thou wilt be fit for no use to Jesus Christ good for nothing but to pollute his holy name when thou medlest with it and why should the Lord take up such a dry leafe Isay 64.6 and breath upon such a dry bone 5. Remember how good the Lords will is even when it crosseth thine he shall have infinite glory by all his denials to thee of what thou wouldst he shall gaine that though thou losest thy peace and quietnesse that good which thy foolish sinfull will desires at his hand Iohn 12.27 28. and if so blessed be his name let God live but let man dye and perish that he may be exalted of vile man 6. Remember the sweet rest thou shalt have by this subjection to the Lord nothing is mans crosse but mans will a stubborn will like a stubborne heifer in the yoake galls and frets the soule Learn meeknesse saith our Saviour of me in taking my yoake on you and then you shall find rest Hell would not bee hell to a heart truly humbled Sometimes you find inlargements then you are glad sometime none then you sinke sometimes you have hope of mercy then you are calme sometimes you lose your hopes then the Sea workes when the Lord pleaseth you then you are well but if a little crosse befall you then your spring is muddy and a little thing troubles Oh be humble vile in thine owne eyes and verily such uncertaine fits of peace and trouble are done and the dayes of all your mourning are now ended Of thankfulnesse to all those whom the Lord hath truly humbled Time was when the Lord first convinced you that so long as you could make any shift find rest in any duties you would never lye down at Christs feet now the Lord might have left you to have stumbled at that stumbling-stone and to have stuck in those bushes but you may see that the Lord will save you even then when you would not be saved by him and especially take notice of two passages of Gods dealings with you wherein usually you find matter of discouragement rather then of acknowledgment of Gods goodnesse to you therein 1. That the Lord hath withdrawn all feeling of any good which it may be once you felt and that the Lord hath let out more of the evill of your hearts then ever you imagined was in them nay so much evill that you think there is none like unto you who hast now no heart nor power to stirre think defire will or doe any thing that is good oh blesse the Lord for this for this is Gods way to humble and empty and make thee poor the Lord saw though it may be you did not that you rested in that good you felt and was or would be lifted up by these and therefore the Lord hath broke those crazy crâ—tches famisht now brought you downe to nothing made you like dry desarts all the hurt the Lord aimeth at in this being only to humble you and though these desertions be bitter for the present yet that by these he might doe you good in your latter end Oh brethren the Apostle stands at a stay and desires the Corinthians to consider You see your calling saith he 1 Cor. 1. Not many mighty not many wise but things that are not doth he call that no flesh might glory The Lord saith Moses Deut. 8.2 3. suffered thee to want that was the first and then fed thee that he might prove thee and humble thee remember this saith he So say I to you remember this mercy that when the Lord makes you worst of all not really but in your own eyes that then the Lord is about this glorious work 2. That the Lord hath kept you it may be a long time too from sight and sense of his peculiar love one would wonder why the Lord should hide his love so much so long from those to whom he doth intend it the great reason is because there is in many a one a heart desirous of his love and this would quiet them if they were sure of it but they never came to bee quieted with Gods will in case they think they shall never partake of his love but are above that oppose and resist and quarrell with that unhumbled under that the Lord therefore intending to bestow his favour onely upon a humbled sinner he will therefore hide his face untill they lye low and acknowledge themselves worthy of nothing but extremity of misery unworthy of the least mercy The people of God Lam. 1.16 cry out that the comforter which should refresh their soule was farre from them what was Gods end in this you shall see the end of it verse 18. the Lord is righteous here the Church is humbled for I have rebelled or as Sanctius reads it I have made his mouth bitter that the Lord speaks no peace to me but bitter things The cause is in my owne selfe and therefore if he never comfort me nor speak good word unto me yet he is righteous but I am vile and you will find this certain that as the Lord therefore humbles that he may exalt so the Lord never refuseth to exalt in hiding his face but it is to humble And is this the worst the Lord aimes at and will you not be thankfull why are you then discouraged when you find it thus with you doe not say the Lord never dealt thus with any as with me suppose that the reason then is because the Lord sees never had any such a high heart as thou hast but oh be thankfull that notwithstanding this he will take the pains to take it downe Thus much for humiliation I come now to the fourth and last which is Faith SECT 5. The fourth and last act of Christs power is the worke of Faith THe Lord having wounded
THE Sound Beleever OR A TREATISE OF Evangelicall Conversion DISCOVERING The work of Christs Spirit in reconciling of a sinner to God By THO SHEPARD sometimes of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge Now Preacher of Gods Word in NEW-ENGLAND MAT. 18.11 I came to save that which was lost LONDON Printed for R. Dawlman 1645. To his deare Friend Mr W. Greenhill Sir MAny struglings I have had about publishing these Notes I have looked up to God and at last been perswaded upon these grounds 1. The many desires both of friends and strangers both by private speeches and Letters which I thought might be the voice of Christ. 2. Some good as I heare those which are already out have done and which the rest might doe which I have looked on as a testimony of the Lords acceptance of them 3. I knew not what the Lords meaning should be to bring to light by his providence without my privity knowledge or will the former part unlesse it was to awaken and enforce me being desired to publish the rest our works I thought should resemble Gods works not bee left imperfect 4. I considered my weake body and my short time of sojourning here and that I shall not speak long to children friends or Gods precious people I am sure not to many in England to whom I owe almost my whole selfe whom I shall see in this world no more I have beene therefore willing to get the wind and take the season that I might leave some part of Gods precious truth on record that it might speak oh that it might be to the heart among whom I cannot and when I shal not be I account it a part of Gods infinite grace to make me an instrument of the least good to any If the Lord shall so far accept of me in publishing these things it is all that I would desire if not yet I have desired forgivenesse in the blood of his Sonne for what ever errors or weaknesses may be in it or are in my self which may hinder successe and frustrate its end only what I have in much weaknesse beleeved I have written and sent it unto you leaving it wholly with your selfe whom I much love and honour that you would adde or detract any thing you see meet so as it be not crosse to what I have writ and if you then think it meet for publike view you see upon what grounds I am content with it but if you shall bury it and put it to perpetuall silence it shall be most pleasing to him who thinks more meanly of it then others can Tho Shepard THE SOUND BELEEVER CHAP. I. As the great cause of the eternall perdition of men is of themselves so the onely cause of the actuall deliverance and salvation of man is JESUS CHRIST view this text Hoseah 13.9 Oh Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in me is thy help SECT I. THese words as they are set down in the Hebrew are according to the style of this Prophet very short and sententious therefore difficult to translate into English without some Periphrasis but the sence is here truly exprest In me is thy help which you may see confirmed from v. 4. There is no Saviour beside me and verse 〈◊〉 I will ransome them from the power of the grave Oh death I will be thy plague O grave I will be thy destruction Suppose the Prophet should speak here of temporall salvation help and ransome which he doth not yet the argument is strong if there be no Saviour from temporall woe and misery but only the Lord Jesus how much more is hee from woes eternall only understand me here aright I am not now speaking of mans deliverance and salvation by price in way of satisfaction of Justice for that I have already handled but of his deliverance and salvation by power not of mans purchased deliverance which is by the blood of Christ but of mans actuall deliverance which is by the efficacy power of the spirit of Christ. Some captives among men are redeemed by price only some by power without price but such is the lamentable captivity of all men under the severity of justice and the power of sinne that without the price of Christs blood Eph. 1.7 and the power of Christs spirit Iohn 8.36 there is no deliverance the Lord JESUS having paid the price for our deliverance Yet it is with us as with a company of captives in prison our sins like strong chaines hold us Satan our keeper will not let us goe the prison doores through unbeleefe are shut upon us Rom. 11.32 aâ—d thereby God and Christ are kept out from us what power now can rescue us that are held fast under such a power even after the price is paid truly it can be no other but that in my text In me is thy help when our ransom is paid the Lord must come himselfe and fetch us out by strong hand Isay 53.1 To whom is the arme of the Lord revealed truly to very few yet to some it is and certainly look as they make Christ no Saviour indeed who deny his salvation by price and satisfaction so those also make him an imperfect Saviour who deny salvation and actuall deliverance of man to be only by the Almighty arme and efficacy of his spirit and power excellent therefore is the speech of the Apostle Acts 5.30.30 God hath exalted Iesus to give repentance and remission of sins to Israel Look as Jesus was abased to purchase repentance and remission so he is now exalted actually to give and apply repentance and remission of sinnes Whose glory is it to remit sinnes but God in Christ and by Christ only whose glory is it to give repentance which in this place comprehends the work of conversion faith as Beza observes whereby we apply remission but the same God only the one is as difficult to be conveyed as the other and we stand in as much need of Christ to doe the one as the other all the power of Christ exalted is little enough to give us repentance and remission the condition of the Covenant exprest in repentance and the blessings in the Covenant summed up in forgivenesse of sins the Socinians deny redemption and salvation by price the Arminians by Christs power leaving suasion only to him but power of conversion to the power and liberty of the will of man Oh adulterous generation that are thus hacking at and cutting the cords of their owne salvation I shall here speak onely to one question which is the principall and most profitable and that is this How doth Christ redeem and save thus by his power out of that miserable estate and consequently what is the way for us to seek and so to find feel deliverance by the hand of Christs power As there are foure principall meanes and causes or wayes whereby man ruines himselfe 1. Ignorance of their owne misery 2. Security and unsensiblenesse of it 3. Carnall confidence in
more by tradition in these dayes by the report and acknowledgement of every man rather then by any speciall act of conviction of the spirit of Christ for what man is there almost but lies under this confession that he is a sinner the best say they are sinners if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and I know I am a sinner but that which the Spirit principally convinceth of is some sinne or sins in particular the Spirit doth not arrest men for offences in generall but opens the writ and shewes the particular cause the particular sins Rom. 3.9 we have proved saith the Apostle that Iewes and Gentiles are under sinne but how doth the Apostle being now the instrument of the Spirit in this worke of conviction convince them of this marke his method verse 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. wherein you you shall see it is done by enumeration of particulars sins of their natures there is none righteous sins of their minds none understandeth sins in their wills and affections none seek after God sins in their lives all gone out of the way sins of omission of good duties there is none that doth good their throats tongues lips are Sepulchres deceitfull poysonfull their mouthes full of cursing their feet swift to shed blood c. And this is the state of you Jewes verse 19. as well as of the Gentiles that all flesh may stand convinced as guilty before God If it be here demanded What are those particular sins which the Lord convinceth men of I answer in variety of men there is much vaâ—iety of speciall sins as there is of dispositions tempers and temptations and therefore the Lord doth not convince one man at first of the same sins of which he doth another man yet this we may safely say usually though not alway the Lord begins with the remembrance and consideration of some one great if not a mans speciall and most beloved sin and thereby the spirit discovers gradually all the rest that arrow which woundeth the heart of Christ most the Lord makes it fall first upon the head of the sinner that did shoot it against heaven and convinceth and as it were hits him first with that How did the Spirit convince those 3000 those patterns of Gods converting grace Acts 2.37 did not the Lord begin with them for one principall sinne viz. their murder and contempt of Christ by embruing their hands in his blood there is no question but now they remembred other sinfull practises but this was the Imprimis which is ever accompanied with many other Items which are then read in Gods bill of reckonings where the first is set downe Israel would have a King 1 Sam. 8.19 Samuel for a time could not convince them of their sin herein what doth the Lord doe surely he will convince them of sin before he leaves them and this he doth by such a terrible thunder as made all their hearts ake and how is it now what sin doe they now see they first see the greatnesse of that particular sin but this came not to mind alone but they cryed out 1 Sam. 12.19 We have added unto all our evills this in asking to our selves a King Look upon the woman of Samaria Iohn 4. the Lord Christ indeed spake first unto her about himselfe the substance of the Gospell about the worth of this water of life but what good did shee get untill the Lord began to convince her of sin and how doth he that he tels her of her secret whoredome she lived in the man that now shee had was not her husband and upon the discovery of this shee saw many more sins and hence verse 29. she cries out Come see the man that hath told me all that ever I did in my life And thus the Lord deales at this day the Minister preacheth against one sin it may be whoredome ignorance contempt of the Gospell neglect of secret duties lying Sabbath-breaking c. This is thy case saith the Spirit unto the soule remember the time the place the persons with whom you lived in this sinfull condition and now a man begins to goe alone and to think of all his former courses how exceeding evill they have been it may be the Lord brings upon a man a sore affliction and when he is in chaines crying out of that the Lord saith to him as to those Ier. 30.15 Why criest thou for thy affliction for the multitude of thine iniquities I have done this it may be the Lord sometimes strikes a mans companion in sinne dead by some fearfull judgement and then that particular sinne comes to mind and the Lord reveales it arm'd with multitudes of many other sins the causes of it the fruits and effects of it as a father whips his child upon occasion of one speciall fault but then tells him of many more which he winked at before this and saith Now sirrah remember such a time such a froward fit such undutifull behaviour such a reviling word you spake such a time I called and you ran away and would not heare me and you thought I liked well enough of these wayes but now know that I will not passe them by c. Thus the Lord deales with his and hence it is many times that the elect of God civilly brought up doe hereupon think well of themselves and so remaine long unconvinced of their wofull estates the Lord suffers them to fall into some foule secret or open sin and by this the Lord takes speciall occasion of working conviction and sorrow for sinne the Lord hereby makes them hang down the head and cry uncleane uncleane Paul was civilly educated he turned at last a hot persecutor oppressor blasphemer the Lord first convinced him of his persecution and cryed out from heaven to him Paul Paul why persecutest thou me this struck him to the heart and then sin revived Rom. 7.9 many secret sins of his heart were discovered which I take to begin and continue in speciall in those three dayes Acts 9.9 wherein he was blind and did through sight of sin and sorrow of heart neither eat nor drink As a man that hath the plague not knowing the disease he hopes to live but when he sees the spots and tokens of death upon his wrist now he cryes out because convinced that the plague of the Lord is upon him so when men see some one or more speciall sins break out now they are convinced of their lamentable condition yet it is not alway though usually thus for some men the Lord may first convince of sinne by shewing them the sinfulnesse of their owne hearts and wayes the Lord may let a man see his blindnesse his extreame hardnesse of heart his weaknesse his wilfulnesse his heartlesnesse he cannot pray or look up to God and this may first convince him or that all that he doth is sinfull being out of Christ the Lord may suddenly let him see the deceipts of
me no more therefore in asking Whether a Christian is in a state of happinesse or misery in this condition I answer he is preparatively happy he is now passing from death to life though not as yet wholly passed Nor yet whether there is any saving work before union I answer No for what is said is one necessary ingredient to the working up of our union as cutting off the branch from the old stock is necessary to the ingrafting it into the new indeed without faith it is impossible to please God nor doe I say that this work doth please i. e. it doth not pacify God for that is proper to Christs perfect righteousnesse received by Faith yet as it is a work of his owne Spirit upon us it is pleasing to him as the after-worke of Sanctification is though it neither doth pacify him nor doe I see how this doctrine is any way opposite to the free offer of grace and Christ because it requires no more separation from sin then that which drives them unto Christ nay which is lesse that makes them by the power of the Spirit not resist but yeeld to Christ that he may come unto them and draw them you cannot repent nor convert your selves Be converted therefore saith Peter Acts 3.19 that you may receive remission of sins and in this offer the Spirit works and verily hee that can truly receive Christ without that sense of misery as separates him from his sin as explained to you let him beleeve notwithstanding all that which is said and the God of heaven speakes peace to him his Faith shall not trouble me if hee bee sure it shall not one day deceive himselfe Of lamentation for the hardnesse of mens hearts in these times as it is said the Lord Jesus mourned when he saw the hardnesse of the peoples hearts Mark 3.5 are there not some so farre from this as that they take pleasure in their sins they are sugar under their tongues as sweet as sleep nay as their lives and you come to pul away their limbs when you come to pluck away their sinnes though they have broke Sabbaths neglected prayer despised the word hated and mocked at the Saints been stubborne to their parents curst and swore which made Peter goe out and weep bitterly though lustfull and wanton which broke Davids bones though guilty of more sinnes then there bee moates in the Sunne or Starres in heaven though their sins be crimson and fill heaven with their cry and all the earth with their burthen yet they mourne not never did it one houre together nay they cannot doe it because they will not if you are weary and loaden where are your unutterable groanes if wounded and bruised where are your dolorous complaints if sick where is your enquiry for a Physitian if sad where are your teares in the day in the night morning and evening alone by your selves and in company with others Oh how great is the wrath of God hardning so many thousands at this day whence comes it that Christ is not prized but from this senselesnesse name any reason why the blessed Gospell of peace and all the sweet promises of life are undervalued but from hence and what doe you hereby poore creatures but onely aggravate your sins and make those that are little exceeding great in the eyes of God whence it is that you treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.2 3 4 5. This hardnesse is that which blunts the edge of all Gods ordinances whence Gods poore Ministers sit sorrowfull in their closets seeing all Gods seed lost upon bare rocks oh this is the condition of many a man and which is most fearfull the meanes which should make the heart sensible make it more proud and unsensible Tyre and Sydon and Sodom are more fit to mourne then Chorasin and Capernaum that have enjoyed humbling means long Nay how many be there that mourne out their mournings confesse out their confessions and by their owne humiliations grow more senselesse afterward did wee ever live in a more impenitent secure age wee shall seldome meet with one broken with sin but how few are broken from sinne also and hence it is many a tall Cedar that were set downe in the Table-Book for converted men once much humbled and now comforted stay but a few yeares you shall see more dangerous sins of a second growth one turnes drunkard another covetous another proud another a Sectary another a very dry leafe a very formalist another full of humerous opinions another laden with scandalous lusts woe to you that lament not now for you shall mourne Dost thou think that Christ should ever wipe off thy teares that sheddest none at all dost thou think to reap in joy that sowest not with these showers verily God will make his word good Prov. 29.1 Hee that hardens his owne heart shall perish suddenly heare this you secure sorrowlesse sinners if ever Gods hand bee stretcht out suddenly against thee in blasting thy estate snatching away thy children the wife of thy bosome the husband of thy delight in staining thy name vexing thee with debts and crosses short and sore or lingring sicknesses know that all this comes upon thee for a hard heart but oh mourne for it now you parents children servants the tokens of death are upon you desire the Lord to breake your hearts for you lye under Gods hammer be not above the word and suffer the Lord to take away that which grieves him most even thy stony heart because it grieves thee least meditate much of thy wofull condition chew that bitter pill remember death and rotting in the grave that many are now in hell for thy sins that Christ must dye or thou dye for the least sin remember how patient and long suffering the Lord hath bin to thee and how long he hath groaned under thy burthen that it may be though hee would yet hee cannot beare thy load long let these things be mused on that thy heart may bee at last sorrowfull before it bee too late But oh the sad estate of many with us that can mourne for any evill except it bee for the greatest sinne and death and wrath that lye upon them Of exhortation Labour for this sense of misery this spirit of compunction how can you beleeve in Christ that feel not your misery without him a broken Christ cannot doe thee good without a broken heart bee afflicted and mourne yee sinners turne your laughter into mourning tremble to think of that wrath which burnes downe to the bottome of hell and under which the eternall Sonne of God sweat drops of blood great sins which thou knowest thou art guilty of cause great guilt and great hardnesse of heart and therefore are seldome forgiven or subdued without great affliction of spirit they have loaded the Lord long they must load thee Little sinnes are usually slighted and extenuated and therefore the Lord accounts them great and therefore thy soule must
did not know that lust or the secret concupiscences and first risings of the soule to sinne were sinne he saw not these secret evils in all that which he did and â—ence he rested in his duties as one alive without Christ but the Lord by discovering this let him see what little cause he had to lift up his hand for any good he did So it is here when the soule sees that all its righteousnesse is a menstruous cloth polluted with sin now those duties which like reeds it trusted to before run into the hand nay heart of a poor sinner and therefore now it sees little cause of resting on them any longer now it sees the infinite holinesse of God by the exceeding spiritualnesse of the law it begins to cry out How can I stand or appeare before him with such continuall pollutions 2. By irritating or stirring up of originall corruption in making more of that to appeare then ever before that if the soule thinks all I doe is defiled with sin yet my heart is good and so it rests there the Lord therefore stirres that dunghill and lets it see a more hellish nature then ever before in that the holy blessed command of God to its feeling makes it worse more rebellious more averse from God When the commandement came sinne revived saith Paul and that which was for life was death to him sin taking occasion by the law and hence Paul came to be slaine and dye to all his selfe-confidence It was one of Luthers first positions in opposing the Popes indulgences that Lex voluntas sunt duo adversarii sine gratiae irreconciliabiles for the law and mans will meeting together the one holy the other corrupt make fierce opposition when the soule is under any lively worke of the law and by this irritation of the law the Lord hath this end in his elect to make them feel what wretched hearts they have because that which is in it selfe a meanes of good makes them through mans corruption more vile to their feeling then ever before and hence come those sad complaints on a soul under the humbling hand of Christ I am now worse then ever I was I grow every day worse and worse I have lost what once I had I could once pray and seek God with delight and never well but when one duty was done to be in another but now I am worse all that joy and sweetnesse in seeking of him and in holy walking is gone I could once mourne for sin but now a hard heart takes hold of me that I have not so much as a heart to any thing that is good nor to shed a teare for the greatest evill It is true I confesse you may grow to your feeling worse and worâ— and it is fit you should feel it that the Lord hereby might pull downe your proud heart and make you lye low it is the Lords glorious wisdom to wither all your flowers which refreshed you without Christ that you might feele a need of him and therefore I say the Lord pulls away all those broken planks the soule once floated and rested upon that the soule may sinke in a holy despaire of any help from any good it hath the Lord shakes down all building on a sandy foundation and then the soule cryes out It is ill resting here 3. By loading tyring and wearying the soule by its own indeavours untill it can stir no more for this is in every man by nature when he sees that all he doth is sinfull and all he hath his heart and nature to be most sinfull yet he will not yet come out of himselfe because he hopes though he be for the present thus vile yet he hopes for future time his heart may grow better and himself doe better then now and hence it is that hee strives and seeks indeavours to his utmost to set up himself again and to gain cure to all his troubles by his duties now the law whose office is to command but not to give strength and the Spirit that should give strength withdrawing it selfe because it knowes the soule would rest therein without Christ hence it comes to passe that the soule feeling it selfe to labour onely in the fire and smoake and to be still as miserable and sinfull as ever before hereupon it is quite tyred out and sits down weary not only of its sin but of its work and now cryes out I see now what a vile undone wretch I am I can doe nothing for God or for my selfe only I can sinne and destroy my selfe all that I am is vile and all that I doe is vile I now see that I am indeed poore and blind and miserable and naked the truth is beloved here comes in the greatest dejections of spirit for when the Lord smites the soule for sin it hopes that by leaving of sinne and doing better it may doe well but when it sees that there is no hope here of healing the breach between God and it selfe now it falls low indeed and I take this to be the true meaning of Mat. 11.28 Ye that labour i. e. You that are wearied in your own way in seeking rest to your soules by your own hard labour or works as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and are tyred out therein and so are now laden indeed with sinne and the heavie pressure of that finding no ease by all that which you doe come to me saith Christ and you shall then find rest unto your soules the Jewes seeking to establish their own righteousnesse seeking I say if by any meanes they might establish it lost Christ the Lord therefore will make his elect know they shall seek here for ease in vaine and therefore tyres them out 4. By clearing up the equity and justice of God in the law if the Lord should never pity nor pardon it nor shew any respect or favour to it for this is the frame of every mans heart if he cannot find rest in his duties and endeavours as he once expected he should but sees sin and weaknesse death and condemnation wrapping him about like Ionahs weeds in all he doth then his heart sinkes and quarrells and falls off farther from Christ by discouragement and growes secretly impatient that there should be no mercy left for him because it thinkes now the Lords eternall purpose is to exclude him for if there were any thoughts of peace toward him he should have found peace before now having so earnestly and frequently sought the Lord and having done so much and forsaken his sinfull wayes according to his owne commandement from him and hence it is you shall find it a certaine truth that the soule is turned back as far from God by sinking discouraging sorrowes for sin as ever it was in a state of security by the pleasures of sin and hence sometime it thinks it is in vaine to seek any more and hence leaves off duties and if conscience force
it to them yet it sinkes againe because its foot is not stablisht upon the rock Christ but upon the weaknesse of the waters of its owne abilities and indeavours what therefore should the soule doe in this case to come to God it knowes not it cannot â—ly from him it dare not it shall not the spirit therefore by revealing how equall and just it is for the Lord never to regard or look after it more because it hath sinned and is still so sinfull makes it hereby to fall down prostrate in the dust before the Lord as worthy of nothing but shame and confusion and so kisseth the rod and turnes the other cheek unto the Lord even smiting of him acknowledging if the Lord shew mercy it will bee wonderfull if not yet the Lord is righteous and therefore hath no cause to quarrell against him for denying speciall mercy to him to whom hee doth not owe a bit of bread And now the soule is indeed humbled because it submits to be disposed of as God pleaseth thus the Church in her humiliation Lam. 3.22 having in the former part of the Chapter drunke the wormewood and the gall at last lies down and professeth it is the Lords mercy it is not consumed and verse 29. he puts his mouth to the dust if there may be any hope and verse 39. why should a living man complaine for the punishment of his sinne You think the Lord doth you wrong and neglects your good and his own glory too if he doth not give you peace and pardon grace and mercy even to the utmost of your asking and then thinke you have hence good cause to â—ret and sinke and be discouraged No no the Lord will pull down those mountaines those high thoughts and make you lye low at his feet and acknowledge that it is infinite mercy you are alive and not consumed and that there is any hope or possibility of mercy and that you are out of the nethermost pit and that if he should never pity you yet he doth you no wrong but that which is equall and just and that it is fit your sinfull froward wills should stoop to his holy righteous and good will rather then that it should stoop and be crooked according unto yours Beleeve it brethren he that judgeth not himselfe thus shall be judged of the Lord how can you have mercy that will set your selves up in Gods Soveraigne Throne to dispose of it and will not lye downe humbly under it that it may dispose of you for are you worthy of it hath the Lord any need of you have you not provoked him exceedingly was there ever any that dealt worse with him then you Oh beloved lye low here and learne of the Church Micah 7.9 I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him It was a most blessed frame of spirit in Aaron when he saw Gods hand against him in cutting off his children and Aaron held his peace so if the Lord should cast thee off or cut thee off never take pleasure in such a polluted broken vessell unfit for any use for him hold thou thy peace quarrell not be silent before him and say as they did 2 Chron. 12.5 The Lord is righteous but I am vile let him doe with me what seems good in his own eyes and thus the Lord Jesus by the law doth dead the soule to the law untill it be made to submit like wax or like clay to the hand of the potter to frame it a vessell to what use he pleaseth and as the Apostle most excellently Rom. 7. diverceth it from its first husband i. e. Sin and the Law that it may be marryed unto Iesus Christ. In a word when the Lord Christ hath made the soule feele not onely its inability to help it selfe and so saith as Paul Gal. 2.20 It is not I but also it s owne unworthinesse that the Lord should help it and so cryes out with Iob Behold I am vile now at this instant t is vas capax a vessell capable though unworthy of any grace Iam. 4.6 The last Question remaines What measure of Humiliation is here necessary Look as so much conviction is necessary which begets compunction so much compunction as breeds humiliation so so much humiliation is necessary as introduceth faith or as drives the soule out of it selfe unto Christ for as the next end of conviction is compunction and that of compunction is humiliation so the next end of humiliation is faith or comming to Christ which wee shall next speak unto And hence it is that the Lord calls unto the weary and heavy laden to come unto him Mat. 11.27 So much as makes you come for rest in Christ so much is necessary and no more If any can come without being thus laden and weary in some measure let them come and drink of the water of life freely but a proud heart that will make it selfe its owne Saviour will not come to the Lord Jesus to be his Saviour he that will be his owne Physitian so long cannot send out for another Nay let me fall one degree lower if the soule cannot come to Christ as who feel not themselves unable when the Lord comes to draw and find not the Lord Jesus comming unto them to draw them and compell them in yet if the soule be so far humbled as not to resist the Lord by quarrelling with him and at him for not comming to him as unworthy of the least smile as worthy of all frownes verily the Lord will come to it and no more is requisite then this and thus much certainly is For thus the whole Scripture runs He gives grace to the humble James 4.6 I dwell with the contrite and humble Esay 57.16 The poore afflicted shall not alway be forgotten Psal. 9.12 18. When their uncircumcised hearts are humbled so as to accept of the punishment of their iniquity the Lord then remembers his Covenant Lev. 26.41 42. Conceive it thus There can be no union to Christ while there is a power of resistance and opposition against Christ. The Lord Christ must therefore in order of nature for I now speak not of order of time first removere prohibens remove this resistance before he can and that he may unite I doe not meane resistance of the frame of grace but as was said of the Lord of grace when he comes to work it Now there is a double resistance or two parts of this resistance like a knife with two edges 1. A resistance of the Lord by a secret unwillingnesse that the Lord should worke grace Now this the Lord removes in compunction and no more brokennesse for sinne or from sinne is necessary there then that 2. A resistance of the Lord by sinking discouragements and a secret quarrelling with him in case the soule imagines he will not come to work grace or manifest grace Now this the Lord takes away in humiliation and no more is
necessary here then the removall of the power of this which makes the soule in the sense of its owne infinite vilenesse and unworthinesse not to quarrel at the Lord and devil-like grow fierce impatient before and against the Lord in case he should never help it never pitty it never succour it the Lord will not forsake for ever if the soule thus lies down and puts its mouth in the dust Lam. 3.30 31. Which consideration is of unspeakable use and consolation to every poore empty nothing that feels it selfe unable to beleeve and the Lord forsaking it from helping it to beleeve And I have seen it constantly that many a chosen vessell never hath been comforted till now and ever comforted when now they never knew what hurt them till they saw this and they have immediately felt their hurt healed when this hath been removed In comforting Christians under deep distresse tell them of Gods grace and mercy and the riches of both you doe but torment them the more that there should be so much and they have no part nor share in it and think they never shall because this is not the immediate way of cure tell them rather when they are full of these complaints that they are as they speak vile and sinfull and therefore worthy never to be accepted of God and that they have cause to wonder that they have their lives and are on this side hell and so turne all that they say to humiliation and selfe-loathing verily you shall then see if the Lord intends good he wil by this doe them good and the weakest Christian that cannot come to Christ you shall see first or last shall see cause to lye downe and be silent and not quarrell though the Lord should never come to him And that this is necessary may appeare thus Otherwise 1. The Lord should not advance the riches of his grace the advancement of grace cannot possibly be without the humiliation and abasement of the creature the Lord not onely saves but calls things that are not that no flesh might glory 1 Cor. 1.28 29. 2. Otherwise the Lord should not be Lord and disposer of his owne grace but a sinfull creature who quarrells against God if it be not disposed of not as the Lord will but as the creature will If a stranger comes to our house and will have what he wants and if he hath not he quarrells and contends with the master of the house what would he say Away proud begger dost think to be lord of what I have dost draw thy knife to stab me if I doe not please thee and give thee thy asking no thou shalt know that I wil doe with my owne as I see good thou shalt lye downe on the dust of my threshold before I give thee any thing So t is with the Lord. It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy It is his principall name I will be mercifull to whom I will be mercifull and therefore if you will not beleeve me yet beleeve the Lords oath Esay 45.23 Vnto me shall every knee bow and doe you come to lord it over him and quarrell and fret and sink and grow sullen and vex if the Lord stoop not unto your desires No no you must and shall lye upon his threshold nay he wil make thee lay thy neck upon the block as worthy of nothing but cutting off and then when this valley is filled all flesh shall see the glory of the Lord Esay 40.5 Thus humiliation is necessary in this measure mentioned Not that I deny any subsequent humiliation after a Christian is in Christ arising from the sense of Gods favour in Christ then which nothing makes a Christian of an evangelicall spirit more ashamed of himselfe yet I dare not exclude this which is antecedent arising from the spirit of power immediately subduing the soule to Christ that it may be exalted by Christ 1 Pet. 5.6 It is true all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse are received by faith 2 Pet. 1.3 yet faith it self is a saving work which is not received by another precedent faith Faith therefore is to be excepted not onely as begotten in us but as it is in the begeâ—ting of it in the conviction and humiliation of every sinner Hence see what is the great hindrance betweene the mercy of God and the soule of many a man if it be not some sinne hardnesse of heart under it whereby he cares not for Christ to deliver him then t is some pride of spirit arising from some good he hath whereby he feeles no need of Christ hoping his owne duties shall save him or else is above Christ and not under him willing to be disposed of by him And hence the Lord makes this the high way to mercy Levit. 26.40 if first they shall confesse their sinne secondly humble themselves both which I know the Lord must worke then he will remember his Covenant Look as it is with a vessell before it can be fit for use it must first passe through fire and the earth and drosse severed from it then it must be made hollow and empty which makes it vas capax a vessell capable of receiving that which shall be powred out into it if O Brethren the Lord hath some vessells of glory which he prepares before-hand and makes capable of glory Rom. 9.21 22. if the Lord doth doth not sever you from sinne in compunction and empty you of your selves in humiliation you cannot receive Christ nor mercy you cannot hold them and if ever you misse of Christ by faith your wound lies here How many be there at this day that were once profane and wicked but now by some terrours and outward restraints upon them they leave their sinnes and say they loathe them and purpose never to run riot as they have done and hence because they thinke themselves very good or to have some good they fall short of Christ and are still in the gall of bitternes in the midst of all evill It were the happines of some men if they did not think themselves to have some good because this is their Christ. Oh you that live under precious meanes and have many feares you may perish and be deceived at the last But why doe you feare I know you will answer Oh some secret unknown sin may be my ruine It is true and you do well to have a godly jealousie thereof But remember this also not onely some sinne but some good thou thinkest thou hast and restest in without Christ and lifting thee up above Christ may as easily prove thy ruine because a mans owne righteousnesse rested in doth not onely hide mens sinnes but strengthens them in some sinne by which men perish Trusting to ones owne righteousnesse and committing iniquity are couples Ezek. 33.13 Nor doe I hereby run into the trenches of that wretched generation of the Familists denying all inherent graces
to Christ onely thus their whole soules doe not come 4. If the whole soule by unbeliefe departs from God then the whole soule must return and come again unto God 5. If the want of this be the great cause why men are rejected of God then the whole soule must returne to him but this is the cause why all men under the meanes are rejected of God Israel would none of me i. e. would not be content alone with me would not take quiet contentment in me as the Hebrew word signifies the Lord was not good enough for them but their hearts went out from him to other things therefore the Lord gave them up to their own hearts lust and they walked in their owne counsels The woman that forsakes the guide of her youth and sets her heart as much upon other men as her husband is an Adulteresse for which onely shee shall have a bill of divorce 6. Because as the Gospel first reveales Christ to the mind and then offers him to the will so Faith which runs parallel with the Gospel first sees Christ there the mind one part of the soule goes out then receives Christ gladly there the other part the will goes out and so the whole soule comes to Christ. The Gospel comes to all the elect first in great clearnesse and evidence of the truth of it 1 Thes. 1.5 to which the understanding assents and is perswaded of secondly in great grace and goodnesse surpassing beauty and sweetnesse Lam. 3.24 with which the will is drawn and so the whole soule comes unto Christ for the Gospell is not onely true but glad tidings to all the elect especiall when humbled at Gods feet 1 Tim. 1.15 in whom saith the Apostle Eph. 1.12 13. you beleeved after that yee heard the word of truth there is the object of the understanding the Gospel of your salvation there is the goodnesse of it the object of the will so that the whole soule is drawne to Christ in the work of faith Hee that understands how liberum arbitrium may be in two faculties must not wonder if one grace be seated in both faculties of understanding and will no grace can bee compleatly seated in divers faculties but gradually and imperfectly it may the work of faith is not compleat when the understanding is opened onely to see and wonder at the mysterie of mercy in the Gospel but when the will adheres and claspes about that infinite and surpassing good it sees then it is perfected and not before Iohn 6.40 And this is the reason why saving Faith as it is called doth not look only to a bare testimony and assent unto it as humane faith doth because in the Gospell not only divine truth is propounded to the mind to assent unto but an infinite and eternall good is offered to the heart and will of man to embrace and thence it is that it is not sufficient for a christian to beleeve God or to beleeve Christ but he must also believe in him or else he cannot be saved the object of believing of him being verum or truth the object of the second bonum or good take heed therefore a poore lost sinner undone in its owne eyes for ever not knowing what to doe unlesse it be to lye downe and lye still at Gods feet as worthy of nothing but hell what doth the Lord now doe the Lord Christ by his Gospell first lets in a new light and it sees the Lord Jesus there bleeding before its eyes and held forth as a propitiation to all that believe to all that come to him the mind sees this mystery this exceeding rich grace and free mercy and thinks happy are they that share in this mercy but will the Lord look upon such a nothing as I can such infinite treasures be my portion the Lord therefore calls and bids him come away and enter into the possession of it Thy sins indeed are great saith the Lord yet remember blood-thirsty Manasseh persecuting Paul was pardoned nay remember my grace is free for whose sake I invite thee I beseech thee to come in thy wants indeed are many yet remember that thou hast therefore the more need and more cause to come and that it is I that have made thee empty and poore on purpose that thou mightest come it is true I have an eternall purpose to exclude many thousands from mercy yet my purpose is unchangeable never to cast off any that doe come for it I never did it yet I will not doe it unto thee if thou dost come it is true many may presume yet it is no presumption but duty to obey my great command and it is the greatest sin that ever thou didst or canst commit now to reject it and refuse this grace come therefore poore weary lost undone creature Hereupon the heart and will come and rest and roll themselves upon these bowels and there rest thus the whole soule comes and this I say againe is Faith Iust as it is with the loadstone drawing the iron who would think that iron should be drawn by it but there is a secret vertue comming from the stone which drawes it and so it comes and is united to it so who would think that ever such an iron heavy earthy heart should be drawne unto Christ yet the Lord lets out a secret vertue of truth and sweetnesse from himselfe which drawes the soule to Christ and so it comes May not the consideration of this be of great consolation to those that want assurance and therefore thinke they have no faith oh remember that if thou commest unto Christ as that poor woman of Canaan she had no assurance she should be helped of Christ nay Christ tells her to her teeth that he would not cast childrens bread to such dogs yet she came to him and looked up to free mercy and claspt about him and would not away you will say Was this faith yes our Saviour himselfe professeth it before men and Angels Oh woman great is thy faith Mat. 15.28 So I say unto all you poor creatures whom the Lord hath humbled and made vile in our own eyes unworthy of childrens bread as dogs yet you look up unto and rest upon mercy wiâ—h your whole heart this is precious faith in the account of Christ. But how shall I know when the whole soule comes to Christ When the eye of the soule so sees Christ and the heart so embraceth and resteth upon Christ as that it resteth in Christ as in its portion and all sufficient good many rest upon Christ that doe not rest in him that is that are not abundantly satisfied with him and hence their soules goe out of Christ to other things to perfect their rest and so their hearts are divided between Christ and other things oh feare this saith the Apostle lest there being a promise left us of entring into his rest any of you fall short of it for saith he we that have
blessed and happy estate John 5.24 Psal. 2. ult IF the Question be What is that happy condition they are made partakers of I answer this appeares in these six priviledges or benefits principally 1. Iustification all their sinnes are pardoned 2. Reconciliation peace with God 3. Adoption they are made the Sonnes of God 4. Sanctification they are restored to the Image of God 5. Audience of all their prayers to God 6. Glorification in the Kingdome of heaven in eternall Communion with God SECT I. First Iustification THis is the first benefit which immediately followes our union unto Christ by Faith that look as we are no sooner children of Adam branches of that root by naturall generation but we immediately contract the guilt of his sin and so originall pollution so we are no sooner made branches of the second Adam by vocation and so united unto Christ by Faith but immediately wee have the imputation of his righteousnesse to our justification after which we receive in order of nature not time our sanctification There is no truth more necessary to bee knowne then this it being the principall thing contained in the Gospell Rom. 1.17 the Law shewing how a man may bee just and live but it hath not the least word how a sinfull man may be just and not dye this is proper to the revelation of the Gospell let me therefore give you a tast of the nature of it Our Justification is wrought by a double act 1. on God the Fathers part he by a gracious sentence absolves and acquits a sinner accepts of him as righteous 2. on God the Sons part procuring the passing of this sentence by his satisfaction imputed and applyed the Father being the person principally wronged hath chiefe power to forgive yet in justice he cannot acquit nor in truth account a man unrighteous as righteous unlesse the Son step in and satisfie for whose sake he forgives as the Apostle expressely saith Eph. 4. ult so that our Justification is wholly out of our selves and we are meerly passive in it Justification is not to make us inwardly just as the Papists dreame but it is a Law-tearme and is opposed against condemnation Rom. 8.33 now look as condemnation is the sentence of the Judge condemning a man to dye for his offence or sin so Iustification is the sentence of God the Father absolving a man from the guilt and punishment of sin for the sake of the righteousnesse of Christ That you may more particularly understand me take this description of it Iustification is the gracious Sentence of God the Father whereby for the satisfaction of Christ apprehended by faith and imputed to the faithfull he absolves them from the guilt and condemnation of all sin and accepts them as perfectly righteous to eternall life Let me open the particulars herein briefly in severall queries What it is in generall to justifie T is to passe sentence of absolution to pronounce a sinner righteous t is Gods pardon remission of sinnes this appeares from the opposition mentioned it stands in unto condemnation as a Iudge pardons a man when he saith he shall live or as a man manifestly forgives another when he gives him a promise or a bill of discharge so that note this by the way that our Iustification is not Gods eternall purpose to forgive but it is Gods sentence published a sinner is justified intentionally in election but not actually till this sentence be past and published The difficulty only here is where this sentence is pronounced for answer where of note that there is but a double Court wherein t is passed 1. Publikely in the Court of Heaven or in the Court-rolls of the Word for there is no other Court of Heaven where God speaks but this 2. Privately in the Court of Conscience By the first we are justified indeed from personall guilt by the second we feele our selves justified by the removall of conscience guilt The first is expresly mentioned Act. 10.43 and Rom. 1.17 the second is expresly set downe also Psal. 32.4 The first is the cause and foundation of this second the second ariseth from the first otherwise peace of conscience is a meere delusion the first is sometimes long before the second Psal. 88.15 as the sentence of condemnation in the Word is sometimes long before a man feeles that sentence in his own conscience the second comes in a long time after in some Christians The first is constant and unchangeable the second very changeable he that hath peace in his conscience to day may lost it by to morrow So that you are not in seeking the testimony of your justification to look for a sentence from heaven immediately pronounced of God but look for it in the Court of his Word the Court of Heaven which though we heare not sometime yet it rings and fills heaven and earth with the sound of it viz. There is no condemnation to them that beleeve for hereby the Lord mercifully provideth for the peace of his people more abundantly As when a poore Creditor is acquited or a malefactor pardoned I beseech you saith he let me have an acquitance a discharge a pardon under your owne hand and this quiets him against all accusers so t is here the Lord gives us an Acquitance in his VVord under his owne hand and seale and so gives us peace Heb. 6.18 VVho is it that justifieth T is God the Father Rom. 8.34 Father forgive them saith Christ. And hence Christ is an Advocate with the Father 1 Iohn 2.2 All the three Persons were wronged by sin yet the wrong was chiefly against the Father because his manner of working appeared chiefly in creation from the righteousnes of which man fell by sinne The Father forgives primarily by Soveraign authority the Sonne of Man Christ Jesus forgives by immediate dispensation and commission from the Father Iohn 5.22 Mat. 9.6 the Apostles and their successors forgive ministerially Iohn 21.23 The Father forgives by granting pardon the Sonne by procuring the Ministers where the Spirit also is by publishing or applying pardon so that this is great consolation that God the Father the party chiefly incensed t is he that justifieth t is he that passeth this gracious sentence and then who can condemne Why doth the Father thus justifie T is meerly his grace and out of grace And hence I call it his gracious sentence Rom. 3.24 justified freely by his grace What is his grace The Prophet Esay expounds it to be not our grace or works of grace although wrought by grace but his owne name sake In some respect indeed it is just for God to forgive viz. in regard of Christs satisfaction 1 Ioh. 1.7 Rom. 3.20 The Mercy-seat and the Tables of the Law in the Ark may well stand together but that Christ was sent to satisfie justice and that thy sinnes were satisfied for and not anothers thus it s wholly of grace If therefore you
denyed as well as to be heard and he shall undoubtedly find the thing it selfe a lust is properly such a desire though for lawfull things wherein a man must have the thing because it pleaseth him as when Rachell asked for children she must have them else she must needs dye Give us water that wee may drinke was their brutish cry Exod. 17.1 2. not that we may live to him that giveâ— it holy prayers or desires opposed unto lusts are such desires of the soule left with God with submission to his will as may best please him now the Lord will heare the desires indeed of all that feare him but not fulfill their lusts These three are the essentiall properties of such prayer as is heard or if you will of that which is properly or spiritually prayer fâ—rvency and assurance c. are excellent ingredients but yet the Lord may heare prayer without them it is true the Lord may sometimes not heare us presently for our praying time is our sowing time we must not look presently for the harvest The Lord heares the prayer of the destitute Psal. 102.17 the originall word is of the shrub or naked place of the desert which the Prophet saith Ier. 17.6 sees no good when good comes yet such as feele themselves such the Lord doth regard them and will have a time to answer them and though the Lord may not give us the thing we pray for nor as good a thing of the same kind yet he ever gives us the end of our prayers hee that is at sea and wants stiffe winds to carry him to his port yet hath no cause to complaine if the Lord secretly carries him in by a strong current of the sea it selfe and it is certain at the end of all Gods dealing with you you shall then see how the Lord hath not failed to answer you in any one particular Ios. 23.14 Oh therefore see and be perswaded of this your priviledge that God will now heare every prayer many make a question How may we know when the Lord grants out any blessing as an answer to prayer many things are said to this purpose but the simplicity and plainnesse of the answer liâ—s in this viz. if it be a prayer God heares it if it be put up in Christs name it is then a prayer and that you may beleeve this and glory in this consider these reasons only to confirme this truth From the promise of Christ as in this place Iohn 14.13 14. which was a promise in speciall to be accomplished when hee came to his kingdome and therefore though it is true Gods grace is free and therefore you think the Lord may as well refuse to heare you as heare yet consider that by his promise he hath bound himselfe to heare From the Fatherly disposition that is in God Iohn 16.26 27. and hece he loves us and hence cannot but heare us Because all prayers put up in Christs name Christ makes intercession that they may be heard Heb. 7.25 hee hath laid downe his blood that all our prayers might be heard as we have provâ—d and indeed hence ariseth the infinite efâ—icacie of prayer because it is built upon that which is infinitely and eternally worthy Because all prayers of the faithfull arise from the Spirit of prayer Rom. 8.26 because as that which is for the flesh is of the flesh so that which is for the Spirit or for the sake of Christ for spirituall ends is ever of the Spirit Iohn 7.18 Because of the glory of Christ that the Father may be glorifyed in the Son cannot Christ be glorifyed unlesse he heare all prayers yes he could but yet his will is to reveale his glory by this meanes so that thou and thy prayers be vile and therefore deservest no acceptance nor answer yet remember that his glory is deare it is the glory of Kings to heare some requests and petitions but they cannot heare nor answer all it is the glory of Christ to heare all because he is able without the least dishonour to himselfe thus to doe Oh be perswaded of this how should your joy then be full how should you then delight to be oft with him how would you then encourage all to come unto him how would you then be constrained to doe any thing for him who is ready to doe all for you but oh woe unto our unbeleefe for that which the Apostle saith 1 Iohn 5.14 was ground of his confidence viz. that what ever wee aske according to his will hee heares us is no ground to us and wee may say and mourne to think this is our diffidence that what ever I aske according to Christs will he heares me not but oh recover from such a distrustfull frame and from all dead-heartednesse in this duty with all lest the Lord send task-masters and double our bricks and then we groan and sigh and cry and learne to pray that way that will not pray nor beleeve now If the Lord would but give us hearts assuredly you might not only rule your selves and families but by the power of prayer pull down and raise up Kingdomes dispose of the greatest affaires of the Church nay of the world you might hereby work wonders by meanes of him who ruling all things yet is overcome by prayer Hos. 12.4 5. SECT VI. Sixthly Glorification This is the sixth and last priviledge and benefit and you all know is the last thing in the execution of Gods eternall purpose toward all his beloved and chosen ones whom he hath predestinated called justified them he hath also glorified Rom. 8.30 hereby we are made perfect in holinesse no more sinne shall stirre in us perfect also in happinesse no more teares nor sorrowes nor temptations nor feares shall ever molest us Heb. 12.23 Revel 14.13 and all this shall bee in our immediate communion with God in Christ Col. 1.28 Iohn 17.23 24. wee shall be then saith Paul for ever with the Lord if the Lord would but open our eyes and give us one glimpse of this what manner of persons should we be how would we then live how willingly then should wee embrace faggots and flames prisons and penury the light afflictions here would not they work for us glory nay the Apostle useth such a phrase which I beleeve may pose the most curious oratour in the world to expresse to the life of it an exceeding weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 What is our life now but a continuall dying carrying dayly about us that which is more bitter then a thousand deaths what faith the Apostle to us You are dead yet when Christ shall appeare you shall appeare with him also in glory the generall security of these times foretold by Christ especially when Churches become Virgins and People are seeking after purity of Ordinances it shall not be in a want of watchfulnesse against the present corruptiions of the times so much as in a carelesse want of expectation of the comming oâ— Christ
serve him without fear in holines in all the rules of the first Table and righteousnesse in all duties of the second Table all the dayes of our life that all this should not be out of a spirit of bondage and slavish feare but without feare i. e. Feare of our enemies sin death wrath and so consequently out of love to him that hath delivered us that one would wonder it should ever enter into the heart of any Christian man that hath tasted the love of Christ as to think that there is no use of the Law to one in Christ and that because they are to live the life of love to Christ that therefore they are not to looke to the Law as the rule of their love expresly crosse to the letter of the Text Ioh. 14.15 If yee love me keep my Commandements which Commandements are not onely faith and love to the Saints but love to enemies and spirituall obedience unto the morall Law in a farre different manner and measure then as the Pharisees instructed the people in those dayes as you may see Matth. 5.17 T is true indeed obedience to the Law is not required of us now as it was of Adam it was required of him as a condition antecedent to life but of those that be in Christ it is required onely as a duty consequent to life or as a rule of life that seeing hee hath purchased our lives in redemption and actually given us life in vocation and sanctification we should now live unto him in all thankfull and fruitfull obedience according to his will revealed in the morall Law T is a vaine thing to imagine that our obedience is to have no other rule but the Spirit without any attendance to the Law the Spirit indeed is the efficient cause of our obedience and hence we are said to be led by the Spirit Rom. 8.14 but it is not properly the rule of our obedience but the will of God revealed in his word especially in the Law is the rule the Spirit is the wind that drives us in our obedience the Law is our compasse according to which it steares our course for us the Spirit and the Law the wind and the compasse can stand well together Psal. 143.10 Teach me to doe thy will O God there is Davids rule viz. Gods will revealed thy spirit is good there is Davids minde that enabled him to steare his course according to it the Spirit of life doth free us from the law of sin and of death but not from the holy and pure and good and righteous Law of God Rom. 8.1 2 3. The blood of Christ by the Spirit cleanseth us from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 not to serve our owne selves or lusts or wills to doe what wee please the law indeed is not a rule of that by which we are to obey viz. of our faith yet it is the onely rule of what we are to obey we are not to performe acts of obedience now as Adam was to doe viz. by the sole power of inherent grace but we are to live by faith and act by faith for without me you can doe nothing Ioh. 15.5 we are not united to Christ our life by obedience as Adam was to God by it but by faith and therefore as all action in living things comes from union so all our acts of obedience are to come from faith from the Spirit on Christs part and from faith on our part which make our union Noah built by faith Enoch walked with God by faith Iosuah and his Souldiers fought by faith Abraham travelled dwelt in his tents lived and dyed by faith they acted according to the rule but all by the power of faith It is a weak reasoning to imagin a man is not bound to pay his debts because he is to goe unto another for the money Obedience is our debt wee owe to Christ Luk. 17.10 though wee are to goe to Christ poore and weake and feeble to enable us to pay T is true Christ hath kept the law for us and are we therefore free from it as our rule No verily Christ kept the law for satisfaction to justice and so we are not bound to keepe the Law he kept the Law also for imitation to give us a copy and an example of all holinesse and glorifying God in our obedience and thus Christs obedience is so farre from exempting us from the Law as that it ingageth us the more having both rule and example before us 1 Ioh. 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought to walke as he walked 1 Pet. 1.14 15 16. T is true the Law is writ in a beleevers heart and if he hath a Law within what need he say some look to the Law without when as our Saviour and David argued quite contrary Psal. 40.7 8. I come I delight to doe thy will it being written of me that I should doe it because thy Law is within my heart this argues that you are not to attend the Law unwillingly as bond-men and slaves but willingly and gladly because the Law even the Law of love is in your hearts 1 Ioh. 5.3 The place alledged by some for this liberty from the Law viz. the Law is not made for a righteous man 1 Tim. 1.9 if well considered fully dasheth this dreame in pieces for there were divers Jewish Preachers of Moses Law and they had a world of scruples and questions about it verse 4. and Paul and others were accounted of as men lesse zealous because they did not sound upon that string so much away saith Paul with those contentions questions for the end of the commandement is not scruples and questions but charity and love i. e. both to God and men out of a pure heart and faith unfained vers 5. and saith he The Law is very good when used lawfully that is for this end and out of these principles vers 8. t is not talking but doing and that out of love which is the end and scope of the Law so that note by the way you may as well abolish love as abolish the Law love being the end and scope of the Law But to proceed The Law is not made saith he for the righteous i. e. for the condemnation of the righteous i. e. of such as out of a pure heart and faith unfeined love God in the first Table love to shew all duties of respect to man in the second Table and therefore they of all other men have no cause to abolish the Law as if it was a bug-beare or a thing that could hurt them but it s made for the comdemnation of the Lawlesse Anomians as the originall word is or if you will Antinomians transgressors of the first command and disobedient transgressours of the second command for ungodly and sinners transgressours of the third command for unholy and prophane transgressours of the fourth command for murderers of fathers and mothers of the fift command for