receive him tendered to his poor rebellious worthless soul The first command that God lays upon every rebel is to accept of a Mediator God in order of nature first enjoyns the soul to receive Jesus Christ tendered before the doing any thing whatsoever before the sending up one sigh to God or breathing out one petition in regard the Lord commands all poor sinners at enmity with him to come near to him only through a Mediator and no coming by a Mediator till they apply the Mediator to be a Mediator And therefore it is said in 1 John 3.23 It is the command of God that ye believe in the Lord Jesus whom he hath sent And so again John 6.29 This is the work of God that ye believe on whom he hath sent As if there were no other work of God but this But the meaning is that this is the prime principal work without which all other are but works of darkness 4. In regard the Lord takes no pleasure nor delight in the person of any sinner most dejected and plunged into the deepest gulf of sorrow for his sin before he applys the Lord Jesus tendered to his soul more than he did in that soul before there was any of that sorrow Do not mistake me I do not say that the Lord does as much abhor a sinner that is now forbearing the acts of his enmity against God and is faln to cry after God as much as the acts of sin before gradually But yet I say there is as true an abhorrence in the bosom of God of all those prayers mournings and tears as there was of those acts of sin the difference is only in degree Saith he Tit. 1.15 To the impure all things are impure whilst the mind and conscience is defiled And who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean whilest the soul is altogether unclean it is impossible a clean desire and motion or a clean tear can come from thence So that now the soul is looked upon as an enemy as a Rebel a Traitor to the Crown of the Lords glory whilst he remains a refuser of the Lord Jesus tendered though he be brought to great degrees of mourning 5. In regard the nearest proportion of sorrow that can be attained unto for sin must proceed from applying the Lord Jesus tendered The soul can never discern what the degree or the heinousness of his sin was till he beholds the Lord Jesus accepting his poor despicable rebellious loveless soul Therefore it is worthy your observation that the same woman that is called the sinner by way of emphasis and eminency Luke 7.37 drank deeply of the cup of sorrow whose tears flowed forth in abundance that she could wash the feet of Jesus Christ This womans sorrow did not proceed from a sight of her sin before her applying the Lord Jesus tendered but from a sight of the Lord Jesus accepting such a despicable desperate sinner as she was The depths of sorrow were never broken up in her heart till she saw the arm of the Lord Jesus reached out to embrace her poor despicable soul You shall see it plain if you compare v. 37 38. with v. 47 48. The whole discourse between Jesus Christ and the Pharisees concerning her is worth our observation for the explaining of it when Jesus sees this woman come and wash his feet he knew the Pharisees hearts rose against her because she was a sinner Now Jesus put forth a parable or similitude Simon saith he there were two debtors the one ought five hundred pence and the other fifty and when they had nothing to pay the creditor frâ—nkly forgave them both Tell me therefore which of them will love him most Simon answered and said I suppose he to whom he forgave most saith he thou hast rightly judged Now observe it when Jesus Christ had opened to the Pharisees this parable it amounts to this The cause of her mourning is from the sense of the Lords forgiving her for she loved much And he said unto her thy sins are forgiven This he opens to be the cause of her sorrow that she saw Jesus Christ had exercised compassion to her She saw the love of Christ so infinite so unspeakable his compassions so incomprehensible that though she had been such a desperate wretch that Satan had had his Throne in her heart though she had been the Ring-leader of sinners in a City yet he was ready to wash her forlorn soul and make her clean and this made her she knew not how to express her love but she wept So that the cause of her tears was not so much the sense of her sin but the having so much forgiven her So it is observed of Peter when he could deny Christ thrice and forswear him and not Weep when Christ looks upon him his Heart melts and he Weeps bitterly What Peter dost deny me what me that left the Throne of my Glory to stand here before the Judgment Seat saith the look of Christ to the Conception of Peter this melts his Heart The sixth Principle of Darkness is this Principle of darkness That it is very Dangerous for any soul to apply to himself the Lord Jesus too soon It is commonly illustrated by this Similitude If a Chirurgeon applies some healing Salve to a dangerous sore before the Corrosives have had their proper effects if he doth not by Corrosives first eat out all the dead Flesh and by Tents ransack the Wound to the very bottom though the Wound be skinned over it will Fester and Ranckle again and that to the danger of the Patients Life Likewise faith the soul it is thus in regard of the Wound of Sin If any spiritual Physician should apply the Lord Jesus too soon to the soul to heal the souls Wounds before the Corrosive of Terrour and Fear and Horrour have had their proper effects upon the soul it may be dangerous to the Destruction of the soul Or thus saith the soul there may be nutritive nourishment to several Patients that may be destructive to some sick Bodies in regard there ought first to be some Purgations before there be a sutableness to the giving such Cordial Potions Likewise if the pretious Cordials of Comfort that are in the Bosom of Jesus Christ should be applyed to the soul before there hath been the bitter Pill of Terrour of Sorrow and Anguish and Horrour for his Sin given they may be rather destructive to the soul So that this is very dangerous saith the soul to apply the Lord Jesus too soon This Principle of Darkness hath commonly three Grounds or three Foundations upon which it stands and the soul conceives a three-fold Foundation is not easily shaken and therefore conceiveth the Principle to be very firm I. It is built upon this ground That all Divines generally have concluded that it is dangerous to apply Comfort to afflicted Consciences too soon and that it is destructive to give Comfort before the soul be fitted for it
should be broken unless the nature of God can be taken away and the infinite nature of God become finite Answ 2. I shall answer affirmatively The union that the Lord intends by the revelation of the Gospel to bring your souls to in Christ is according as the scriptures name it five-fold 1. There is an union of agreement or an union of peace made up between Christ and the Soul This is called in Scripture the reconciliation of the soul unto God and unto Jesus Christ Then persons are said to be divided when there are jars and quarrels taken up by one person against another but the removing of these quarrels and controversies between those persons is the making those persons one again Now this is the case between God and the soul there was such a blessed harmony and agreement between the Soul and God in Adam as there was not the least jar imaginable in Gods bosom against us nor in our bosom against God but through our cursed transgression in the loyns of Adam we gave God such offence as he hath a quarrel against all the Sons of Adam and our hearts have a cursed quarrel against God whence we are said to be enemies in our minds Now the union God intends to bring the soul to in Christ is an union of agreement that is the removing all those jars and differences between God and the Soul 2. There is an union of Marriage or a Matrimonial union The Lord hath such infinite bowels of mercy in his bosom toward souls that when they had despised that blessed union with himself that he had given them by creation he will make them better again then they were first made by another union he brings them into a marriage union to make the Soul a Spouse to Christ and Christ an Husband to the Soul and that advanceth them in some measure above the Angels They are but ministring spirits to Christ and to the Spouse of Christ they never had such an honour as to be the Spouse of Christ This union you find frequently in Scripture In Eph. 5. speaking of marriage between man and wife saith he I speak concerning Christ and the Church So Rev. 19.7 and Chap. 21.9 3. There is an union of spirit He will communicate of his own spirit to the soul and make his wife partake of the same spirit with himself that the Saints and he shall be one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 4. There is the union of likeness or similitude between Christ and the Soul That is the Lord by the communication of himself unto the Soul makes it to be a lively patern of himself Thence it is that in Rom. 8.29 he tells us he had predestinated us to be conformable to the Image of his Son Hence he saith 2 Pet. 1.3 We are partakers of the divine nature That is of the same nature that Jesus Christ is partaker of that there should be an union of nature between Christ and the Soul that is an union of holiness That as he did partake of the humane nature he will make his Spouse partake of the divine nature Nay we are said to partake of the life of God Eph. 4 18 that is to live the same life of God 5. There is the union of headship That is to say to have Jesus Christ as his head and to be of the same body with Jesus Christ This is commonly called by men the mystical union because it is an hidden union that Christ and the Soul should be but one Body This union is thus that the soul should be of the number of those Elect that the Lord according to the counsel of his will chose to be vessels to which he would communicate of himself to all eternity Quest 2. How can the revelation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ bring the Soul thus into union with Jesus Christ How can the manifestation of the mysteries of Gods will effect such a gracious work as this to unite the Soul to Christ in all those ways I answer First negatively Secondly affirmatively Ans 1. We must not conceive that the revelation of Gospel truths are the original principal efficient cause of this union of Souls with Christ as though this union of Souls with Christ did depend onely upon the working of those truths of the Gospel of Christ revealed It is the will of God that is the principal efficient cause of union The Lord hath not left the state of souls to be determined by themselves either by resisting or embracing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and therefore you shall see in the Verse before the Text that the revealing of those truths of the Gospel are said to be according to the purpose of the Lords own will 2. Neither must you conceive that those discoveries of the Gospel do by their own effectual vertue produce this union between the Soul and Christ Faith it self which is the uniting grace by which the union is made up does not produce this union by any vertue or efficacy and proper quality in it self but as God hath determined the revelation of the Gospel and saith wrought by those revelations to bring the soul into union 3. Neither do those revelations of the Gospel to the outward ear work this effect of the Souls union with Christ Thence it is said John 6.45 Every one that hath learned of the Father cometh unto me It is not hearing and learning those truths from the mouth of man that immediately produce those effects but hearing from the Father that is by Gods giving inward beams of light to the understanding whereby he doth discover the mysteries of his will to the soul Ans 2. I answer affirmatively The revelation of the truth of the Gospel doth produce this union three ways 1. By discovering the union with Christ to be attained in the Soul-alluring properties of it It is instrumentally that the Lord useth the revelation of the truths of the Gospel to manifest to the soul that an union is to be obtained and to manifest the excellency beauty necessity and sutableness of that union to the souls present condition whereby the soul is drawn to accept of that union Now in regard union cannot be effected between Christ and the Soul without a discovery that there is such an union to be obtained therefore it is said the Lord by revealing the truths of the Gospel to the Soul does gather the soul into union because this is the onely glass as it were whereby the soul may discover the way of attaining an union between Christ and the Soul 2. By conveying sight to the blinded soul to apprehend that union Though the most Orient bright glistering colours be presented to the eyes of a man covered with darkness they could not take up a mans meditations about them neither could he be affected with them Now the eyes of all men naturally are covered with darkness that though the Gospel hold forth the union yet we cannot be taken up with it nor pass
judgment upon it till the eye be opened Therefore the Gospel presents an union to be obtained and gives eyes to see that union Hence it is said to be part of Christs office Isa 42.6 7. to open the eyes of the blind And thence we are said in 1 John 5.2 to receive an understanding to know the Lord and this is done by the revelation of the truths of the Gospel 3. By infusing a disposition into the will to embrace that union propounded unto the soul in Christ The Lord by those inward revelations doth convey an holy inclination into the perverse obstinate will whereby the will is drawn to consent to the union propounded to the eye of the understanding When once the soul hath received a spiritual eye by those revelations of Gospel truths to apprehend an union tendered to the soul in Christ in the beauty excellency necessity and sutableness of it that very vision of that union with the properties of it doth change the disposition of the soul that wrought in opposition against God formerly and causeth the will to desire that union propounded in Christ The reason is because then by the light communicated to the soul by these truths revealed the soul apprehends that union as the onely chief good and then the will cannot but close with it and embrace it Then by the consent of the will to embrace that union the union is made up between Christ and the soul in the four respects mentioned from whence do necessarily follow the union of likeness and similitude And that is made up from those former unions two ways 1. In regard of the necessary communion that is between Christ and the soul upon those first unions made up No sooner does Christ become a head to the soul and the soul a member of Christ by consent of will but some influences flow from the head to the members now those influences are part of his divine nature part of his holiness 2. The union of likeness follows by the constraining arguments of the understanding unto the souls likeness unto Christ When once the will through the disposition infused into it by beholding the truths of the Gospel of Christ consents the understanding presently draws such arguments from various particulars or adjuncts that always attend the union of the Soul with Christ that thence the Soul is constrained to a likeness to Christ 1. Then the understanding begins to constrain the soul to a remembrance of the intent of Jesus Christ in uniting the soul unto himself Thence the understanding compels the soul to a full conformity to Christ as you may see Rom. 6.5 6. If we have been planted together in the likeness of his death that is if we have partaken of the vertue of the death of Christ we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection If we be like Christ in his death we shall be like him in his life How Knowing that our old man is crucified with him that the body of death might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin That is thus Our understandings arguing and discussing thus If Christ died for us then we have a part in his death then were our sins crucified in his death knowing this by this discussive power of the understanding that our old man is crucified with him That is thus through the apprehension of the Lord Jesus tendered to make satisfaction to divine justice for all the injuries and indignities the soul hath offered to him and the soul apprehending a willingness in the Lord to receive it into union with himself in Christ whereby the will consents to what the Lord propounds to it then the understanding begins to argue thus what art thou united to Jesus Christ then the intent of Christ is that thou shouldest be conformable to his Image and canst thou walk contrary to Christ 2. The understanding constrains from the remembrance of its engagement to be like to Christ First the understanding will urge the engagement of Gods honour If thou beest one of Christs then thou art engaged to hold up the name of Christ to bear the Image of Christ to hold forth the likeness of Christ in thy conversation thou art to be a golden pillar whereupon the excellency of the Image of Christ should be written in great characters Secondly the union of likeness follows by reason of the agreement and sutableness of the likeness of Christ to the souls disposition Through the consent of the will to embrace union propounded with Christ there is such a disposition prevailing in the soul as sweetly closeth with the likeness of Christ and it becomes an intolerable burden to the soul that the heart is so unlike to him Quest 3. Why does the Lord intend by the revelation of the Gospel to bring souls into union with Christ For the answering this question two things must first be premised in general 1. That there is no one act of the Lords will that is the proper efficient cause of another act of his will It is not because Gods will hath determined to bring to pass one thing that therefore the Lord doth also determine to bring to pass another thing as though the first act were the cause of the second act of Gods will for Gods will is God himself and so according to the simple act of Gods will he wills all things together and at once 2. That there is nothihg that the Lord determines that moves inwardly the will of God to determine another thing as the consequent of that It is one of the absolute perfections of the divine Essence that all his operations are dependent in himself yet as some things in the order of the creation are effected by others so properly it may be said the Lord wills one thing for another that is the Lord wills one thing to produce such an end As the Lord wills the Sun Moon and Stars to have an influence into all things below to preserve them in their being and keep the natural vertues communicated to them Though the influences of the Sun Moon and Stars be not the cause of Gods will yet they are willed to that end These things being premised there are divers ends which may improperly be called causes of the Lords intent by the revelation of precious Gospel truths to bring Souls into union with Christ Reas 1. Because the union of God the Father with Souls is effected by and through the union of the Soul with the Lord Christ Col. 1.19 20. It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwel and having made peace by the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself It was by the pleasure of the Father that all things should be reconciled to himself that should ever be brought to an union of agreement with God so that the mediation of the Son is that bond of connexion between God and any Soul As in Job 9.33 where Job complains he could not come
that did hear the relation of it and did carefully reflect upon his own heart but must be satisfied about his union but our experience tells us this that the most understanding Souls about union are hardest to be satisfied about their union Thus you have the negative part of the answer opened Now before I proceed to the affirmative there is another question will be cast in upon the neck of this Que. 1. But may the Soul say If none of these can evidence to the Soul his Vnion with Christ are all those Souls evidences of Vnion that they have received from something thus inherent in themselves and done upon them by the Spirit of God rotten and unsound and no evidences Must we now cast away all our thoughts of union with Jesus Christ that were formerly gathered from the sight of such qualifications inherent in our souls Before I come to answer this question I must first premise two or three things 1. That the soul hath not conceived either qualities inherent in his soul or works done by his soul as the cause of his union with God in Christ That these should be the uniting means between Christ and thy soul that have drawn the Lord Christ to come into thy heart and to dwel in thee and so to cause thee to dwell in him This were no less than gross Popery to make any thing in our selves the cause of union 2. I also premise That thou hast not taken qualities inherent in thy self or works done by thy self as the ground upon which thou didst believe thy union with Christ This were a very dangerous sandy foundation for a soul to build upon This were to ground a divine faith upon an humane ground to ground a certain conclusion upon a poor changeable ground And this were to make thy faith of no longer lasting than the constancy of thine heart in such works or the constancy of thy sight in beholding such dispositions in thy heart This is both unsafe and exceeding dangerous 3. I must premise That thou mistakest not the ground of thy evidence conceiving thy self to receive thy evidence from qualities inherent in thy self or works done by thy self when thou receivest it from a promise of free grace alone It may be at the same time when the Lord declared to thee his willingness to accept of thy soul into union with Christ and let thee see thine heart closing with that gracious tender he at the same time lets thee see such holy dispositions in thy soul as the consequence of thy union thence it may be thou didst conclude thy evidence was from these when it was from something in the first place before works But if the question be demanded whether thy qualifications thus considered be evidences I answer negatively and affirmatively First they are no right kind of evidences 1. They are no evidences of Faith That which is an evidence unto the eye of Faith must be some truth of God revealed unto faith with such an authority that for the authority of the speaker and revealer of that truth the soul doth believe it and close with it Now in that manner the word alone is proper evidence unto faith Assurance of faith must always have a divine ground to build upon Now there is no divine ground but a divine word and thine own dispositions and graces are no divine but a humane ground 2. They are no evidence of knowledge Knowledge is the assent of the understanding to a necessary truth built upon an unchangeable ground or reason Now the union of thy soul with Christ could never be rightly taken as a necessary truth built upon thine own works as the unchangable reason of it For as you have heard no works done by the soul can be an unchangeable reason upon which a soul may build such a truth as this that he is united unto Christ in regard thou wert never yet fully certain of the right nature of those thy works or of those dispositions in thy soul from whence thou didst gather those thoughts of thy union with Christ Secondly I answer affirmatively they may be improperly called evidences and they may have begotten an evidence of opinion in thy soul though not an evidence of knowledge Opinion is the assent of the understanding to some truth propounded upon the sight of probable grounds and reasons of the truth of the thing propounded Now the sight of thy gracious dispositions and qualifications may be an evidence of opinion to thy soul that is they may have afforded some probable arguments of thy union with Christ And from thence may have flown these three effects of it 1. Thence may have risen a quiet and calm in the soul a cessation from those perturbations and tumults the soul was disquieted with formerly 2. Hence might flow some refreshments A hope of possibility to the poor sinking soul brings admirable refreshment Much like a man being ready to suffer Ship-wrack at Sea seeing but a ship coming towards him gives him hope of being taken in 3. From hence may arise some flitting joy Though Christ do but pass by as it were and the soul does but see his face through a crevis it refresheth his heart Thus far they may be evidences of opinion unto souls But there are divers things that must be noted about this evidence of opinion least we mistake For though I dare not say but these evidences of opinion in many souls may prove such that in the utmost issue of them may hold to eternity yet it is not without great danger to the safety and comfort of such souls Therefore observe I. That these evidences of opinion in souls do yet fall short of raising those souls into a full conformity to the rules of Scripture about and concerning evidences of union And that will appear in three things 1. In regard these evidences of opinion cannot rise to that fulness of certainty and that strength of confidence that the rules concerning evidences of a souls union do require souls to be raised to When this opinion is raised to the highest degree there cannot be a full certainty Now the Scripture requires souls to attain a full confidence about their union with Christ Heb. 10.22 2. In regard the foundation of the souls consolation in these evidences is laid upon a ground disagreeing to the rule The rule is onely the will of God revealed Now the will of God revealed is that there should be immutable grounds upon which the soul should be built Heb. 6.17 18. 3. In regard the consolation of the soul is unsutable in measure and degree to that which God intends for his peoples souls He intends full consolations to them a plerophery of consolation But how weak are those comforts that flow from those weak fluctuating inherent grounds of the souls qualities or the working of those qualities II. You must note about these evidences of opinion That no soul may justly satisfie or content it self with only those evidences of
and the same time and they are both but witnessing one and the same thing and helping the soul to draw one and the same Conclusion at the same time III. There is the manifestation of the true inseparable effects of union with Jesus Christ to be in the soul That is the souls beholding the very juice of Jesus Christ the precious Vine flowing down into his soul as into one of his Branches The soul finding the same graces that are in Jesus Christ the head drop down into his Bosom So that the soul concludes he must needs be a Member to the Head having influences from it Now there are three things to be opened about this which are concauses which may clear up to our understandings what may be safely holden forth in these 1. That none of these neither the shining of Faith nor the Testimony of Conscience nor the inseparable effects of union are concauses in evidencing unto the soul the Will of God in taking the particular soul into union with Christ The promise it self affords this light to the soul by the sole aid of the Spirit of God without respect to any Dispositions Inclinations believing qualifications whatever can be imagined 2. These three are only concauses in producing to the soul the effects of that first evidence That is in producing in the soul the conclusion of his own union with Jesus Christ that doth arise from the first evidence of the Lords will to take his soul into union with Christ 3. That it is only the first of those three things which is the shining forth of the light of Faith that 's properly a coadjoyning cause in the making up a souls evidence from the promise of his union with Christ Those two latter do follow after the first clear evidence in the soul of his union with Christ from the promise and so cannot come in as joynt concauses to make up the evidence Answ 3. Thirdly I answer There are indeed three joynt concurring causes for the making up this union to the souls Faith of its union with Christ And that is the Spirit of God the light of Faith and the Witness of Conscience taking the Witness of Conscience only for an experimental knowledge that soul doth receive and hath received the Lord Jesus freely given by God to be one with the soul so that Conscience doth only answer as it were like a precious Eccho to the soul the voice of the Spirit of God to the soul The Spirit of God revealing the light of the promise or applying the promise to the soul The light of Faith shewing the souls receiving of the promise And the voice of Conscience consenting to the voice of the Spirit of God or giving the Echo to the voice of the Spirit of God in the soul Answ 4. Fourthly I answer There be some that may be said to be concauses or joyn concurring causes in the evidencing to the soul his union in the promise Yet they are all but subordinate causes to one prime principal cause which is the Spirit of God Should I take these three which some have conceived to be joynt concurring causes which is the light of Faith the Witness of Conscience and the manifestation of the inseparable effects of union yet all these come in a way of Subordination to the principal Efficient Instrumental cause which is the Spirit of God As you may see if you look upon the light of Faith 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God You see the internal Vision or internal Light they have of any grace of any gifts is by the light of the Spirit of God put upon those gifts or put into the soul to discern those gifts So likewise of the second the Testimony of Conscience whatever Testimony Conscience would give be it either through practical or experimental reason drawn from the Word of God Or be it only to bear Witness to the souls own act and so taken only for a sense of the souls own beleiving yet also this Witness of Conscience hath its Subordination to that principal cause the Spirit of God As Rom. 9.1 When the Conscience is said to bear Witness of any good act in the soul it s said to be through the Spirit And indead the Conscience being altogether corrupt naturally the habit of Spiritual Light and discerning by which it Judge being only from the Spirit of God Thence it must necessarily follow also that every acting of that renewed light that the Spirit of God hath infused into the Conscience must be by the Spirit of God For out of all question the acting of every habit of grace received doth as well depend upon the Spirit of God as the first infusion of it into the soul did And if you look upon the third also which is the manifestation of all the effects of union that comes under that in 1 Cor. 2.12 All gifts All gifts of grace through union must be discerned through the Spirit of Wisdom in the heart inabling souls to discern the things freely given them of God As the Apostle doth well Illustrate it v. 11 comparing the light that the Spirit which they have received gives to them to discern the gift of God to the light of Conscience to discern what is in man What man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Whereby he makes it evident that the use of the Spirit of God dwelling in the soul is the same for the discovering of all the workings of the soul to it as the use of the Spirit of a man is to discover to him the heart of man as man Answ 5. Fifthly I answer That the Spirit of God alone is the principal most immediate and natural Instrumental efficient cause of the promises evidencing to the soul his union with Christ Though you see there be divers causes that may afar off have some kind of influence yet no Influences further then they have a dependance upon the Spirit of God working in them and through them And however the sight of Faith and the Testimony of Conscience may in some measure be said to be concauses yet the Instrumental efficient cause that hath the Alpha and Omega that which strikes the first and last stroke that assures the souls Faith that he is united to Christ that 's the Spirit of God alone It s that which set on work all other means for that end Now that the Spirit of God alone is this principal efficient instrumental cause I shall clear to you by some demonstrations I. It appears by the general office of the Spirit of God The Spirit is designed to that office alone to reveal truths or to guide souls into all truth as appears John 16.43 When the Spirit of truth is come he will
in respect of the glory of that his love that he reveals to be in himself to such unlovely sinners when thus the soul shall declare to the everlasting honour of God that true and faithful is his word he loves upon his own will only and shews mercy to whom he will and because he will And thence you may observe that it is a high dishonour to the name of the blessed God for any soul to make any claim to that love of God that is in Jesus Christ by vertue of any quality or disposition whatever that is in their own souls whereby they are differenced as they conceive from other souls and they have right to claim that love of God in Christ when other souls may not claim it this is a pollution of the name of God by its vilifying the absolute perfection of freedom in the love of God in Christ to unlovely sinners 2. The manifestation of the glory of the Lords love to the exaltation of God through the soul is by the souls unwavering unshaken confidence in the truth and faithfulness of the Lord according to his word to admit the soul into the sweetest Bosom of his love in Christ notwithstanding all the loathsomness and forlornness of the worthless soul When the soul manifests his confidence in that faithfulness of God in the highest degree then is the name of God exalted through the soul when the soul says with Paul 2. Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have trusted notwithstanding all this the wretched and most accursed wickedness of my vilest heart I know he is true and faithful he will let his love that is in Jesus work according as he hath discovered it freely from the disposition of his own will only notwithstanding all my wickedness And mark it iâ— this one of the prime reasons why Jesus Christ in that pattern of all prayer that he hath freely given us commonly called the Lords Prayer hath commanded all souls and so believing souls to pray constantly for forgiveness of their Trespasses for pardon of sin because through that act performed according to the will of Jesus Christ the name of God is constantly exalted through the believing soul I do believe that pleading for pardon of sin by believing souls is much mistaken some souls darkly and blindly I had like to have said superstitiously plead for the use of those very words forgive us our trespasses as though no believinng soul could perform his duty without the repetition of those words and other souls from an abhorrency of the blindness and darkness of those that thus plead for the use of the bare words utterly reject that Petittion that Jesus Christ hath given us as a pattern whereby to frame our Petitions determining it utterly unlawful to make such a Petition or such a Request but certainly were the reason of making the request rightly considered it might give light both to the one and to the other to give them to conceive aright how and why a believing soul may pray and beseech the Lord to pardon his Transgressions though understanding through believing that they are already pardoned There are two things that must concur together for the making of that request The first is a remembring the Lord of his precious promise wherein he offers reconciliation peace and love in Christ to the sinful despicable soul There must be in the thoughts of the believing soul making the request aright an actual apprehension that God hath offered unto his soul reconcliation by Christ and so remission of all his sins freely by Christ and questionless there ought to be some declaring of that promise also before the Lord though sometimes more briefly sometimes more largely sometimes in one manner sometimes in another yet a remembring of the Lord of that his precious word Secondly there must be a sincere desire in the believing soul that his heart and mind might consent to the truth of the Lords word as spoken to his particular soul and consequently a desire to trust to the truth and faithfulness of the Lord to fulfill that his precious word even to his particular soul fully So that the soul that presents the request a right must upon the apprehension of his own most accursed vileness turn his eye to that sweetest tender of reconciliation and peace to his soul in Christ saying secretly at least O Lord thou hast spoken it that thy will is to remit the sins to pass by the enmity of every rebellious soul that will accept the reconciliation thou dost tender in Christ and then the heart must proceed farther saying O Lord seeing thou hast spoken it fulfill that thy word to this rebellious sinful soul of mine my soul desires to trust to thy truth to fulfill it O let it be fulfilled let that enmity be removed and that reconciliation be established between thee and my soul 3. The third way of the souls manifestation of the perfection of freedom that is in the love of God in Christ to despicable sinners by which the name of God is exalted through the soul is by the souls maintaining the same confidence of his in the Lords truth to vouchsafe to be in love with his unlovely soul through Christ notwithstanding all infirmities weakness imperfections and perverse crookedness that his heart shall discern a fresh to be in himself Now when the soul after humble acknowledgement of those cursed dispositions in his corrupt heart shall still act and manifest that precious confidence then doth the soul give glory to the Lord in respect of the freedom that is in his love then doth the soul declare that nothing can turn away or cause to cease the workings oâ— that infinite free love of God in Christ then the soul declares that the love of God in Christ was built upon no other foundation but his precious will and that it was nothing in the soul that was lovely and amiable in the eyes of God that ever inclined the heart of God to six his love upon the soul And on the contrary thence it is that those souls pollute the name of God in their hearts and before others also whose confidence shake and waver upon the sight of every new infirmity and imperfection whose confidence is cast away upon the sight of every new crooked disposition working in their hearts upon every disposition to deadness vanity loosness by this they vail the absolute perfection of the riches of the freedom of love that is in God through Christ to unlovely sinners and declare in effect the love of the Lord in Christ to be built upon the holy actings of the foul towards God yea the soul declares in effect vertually at least that the riches of the Lords love that is in Christ increase and diminish according to the holiness or unholiness that he discerns in his own heart Hence the Apostle exhorts believing fouls upon the account of Christs intercession to come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4.15.16 That the
acting by his own power the divine Light communicated to the soul p. 233. 2. The spirits Irradiation of the Promise or of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Diverse things in the Promise or in the Gospel that the Spirit doth evidence to the Soul when it is revealing its Vnion with Christ This is clear in many particulars from p. 234. to 340. The first beam of Divine Light p. 236. A Second Beam of Divine Light p. 254. A Third p. 262. A Fourth p. 267. A Fifth p. 269. A Sixth p. 274. The security given to Souls from the Covenant Oath Seal p. 274. From the many engagement upon God himself p. 305. 3. The Spirits conviction of the Conscience p. 340. What Conscience is The two most eminent works of Conscience The spirits excitation of the habits of grace formerly infused into their proper exercise p. 345. What the spirits excitatioin is p. 350. 5. The Spirits Attestation or Witness unto the Soul Both its Attestation to sense and to faith p. 355. to 392. Quest How Souls that conceive themselves to have received certain and satisfying evidence of their Vnion with the Lord Jesus may know certainly and infallibly that the evidence of their Vnion with Christ received is really from God and not a Diabolical Enthusiasm or Inspiration or a Delusion by the Devils translation of himself into Angelical glory p. 392. Several things concerning Diabolical Inspirations p. 393. The grounds of the different actings of the Devils policy towards Believers and Vnbelievers p. 406. Quest Can the Devil look into the understandings of Men to know what the inward actings of their Minds are p. 425. 2. Satans power upon the Conscience p. 431. 3. Satans power upon the Affections and Passions p. 436. Premises about a Souls tryal of the evidence of his Vnion received whether it it be from God or be a diabolical inspiration p. 437. Four sinful Distempers incident to believing Souls when doubtful of the truth of their Evidencs of their Vnion with Christ which do incapacitate for a just Trial and true examination of the evidences of their Vnion p 445. Quest If souls under the Dominion of impatiency rashness irrational affections prejudicial conceits against the truth of their evidence of their Vnion with Christ and under decays of holiness be unsutable for a right Tryal of their Evidences then what sutable means remains for such souls in these sad conditions under fears that their Eaidences are delusions Answer p. 455. If the examination can only be taken from those Evidences which remain in their perspicity clearness and sanctifying power then Quest What use could souls make of the evidences they conceive they had received of their Vnion with Jesus Christ when the Lustre and orient brightness of their evidences be Eclipsed p. 472. Answered in 4 Propositions Six Holy Vses the soul is to make for former Evidences p. 479. Nine Arguments from former Evidences to plead with the Majesty of Heaven p. 483. From all those Considerations the Question is thus Stated Quest How shall any Soul that conceives he hath received and doth actually injoy certain and sufficient evidence of his Vnion with the Lord Jesus Demonstrate from certain necessary and evident reasons that those his Evidences are really from God p. 491. Answ There are but two kinds of Demonstrations 1. The first and most certain ground is taken from the Causes Now there are but two principal Causes of the Souls Vnion with the Lord Jesus both which concur together and are never Separated one from another that is the Lords Blessed Written Word and that pretious Spirit of Jesus Christ. That the first primary and principal reason from whence a Soul may conclude that the Evidences of his Vnion with Christ received are really from God is that those Evidencing Beams of Light do proceed from the Blessed Spirit of Jesus Christ Two things opened to clear this 1. That the Light that proceeds from the Spirit to Evidence to any Soul its Vnion with Christ doth Evidence it self to proceed from the spirit p. 493. 2. That the light that proceeds from that spirit to discover to the soul its Vnion with Christ is the most potent invincible Demonstration of its own proceeding from God p. 499. The second Instrumental cause that shineth into any heart really from God to discover its Vnion with Christ is the Lords pretious Word p. 502. Where is cleared that the Scriptures are the Word of God p. 512. 2. The second sort of Demonstrations a posterioti taken from the effects Five acts in Believing Souls whereby they exalt the name of God Souls Confident they shall be everlastingly saved by Christ put upon it to search into their Hearts and seriously lay six things before them to consider of A TREATISE OF THE Souls Vnion WITH CHRIST c. Ephes 1.10 That in the Dispensation of the fulness of Times he might gather togather in one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are in Earth even in him THE Apostle taking care of the Church of Ephesus after his departure from it writes this Epistle for the Establishing their Hearts in the Riches of the Lords Free Grace in Christ that the Lord had made their Souls Partakers of that thereby he might excite and quicken them to all sutable walking to such Priviledges This being his Scope in this first Chapter the Apostle begins to reckon up all those Glorious Priviledges by their several names in their several Causes and orders and therefore you shall see in ver 3. He breaks out in the very beginning into a Holy Rapture of Praise and Admiration of God to Bless his name for those high Priviledges as Election Justification Vocation and Glorification Now in ver 8. is comprehended the great Priviledge of their Vocation in those words wherein he hath abounded towards us in all Wisdom and Prudence or Understanding That is in which Grace and Love before named the Lord hath abounded towards us through the Communicating that Grace of Wisdom and Understanding to us That is that Grace that made us receive and rest upon the Doctrine of the Wisdom of God to Salvation And having thus named the Priviledge it self ver 9. He opens the manner of the Lords thus effecting this grace upon their Souls in these words having made known unto us the Mystery of his Will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himself The manner of the effecting of it is by the Lords manifesting the Mysteries of his will to their Souls And what he means by the Mystery of his will he tells us ver 13 it is the Word of Truth the Gospel of Salvation He means indeed the Salvation Preached in and through the Lord Christ alone which was the great Mystery that the Angels desired to pry into Now by the Revelation of this Mystery the Lord did Communicate that Grace and Understanding to them whereby they did embrace that pretious doctrine that made them wise to salvation
to the soul too soon yet it is dangerous and destructive to many souls that they do believe their own salvation by Christ too soon They do fancy to themselves that though they be vile Sinners yet the Lord Jesus is a Saviour and they hope to be saved by Jesus Christ This indeed is the common principle that the Devil useth as his grand snare wherein he catcheth many souls Now there are two ways whereby souls may conceive dangerously and destructively their own salvation by Christ too soon 1. When they conceive they shall certainly attain heaven and glory by Jesus Christ without having an eye or respect to any other benefit by Christ Now indeed doth the soul conceit his salvation by Christ too soon when it neglects all the benefits that are propounded by Jesus Christ and neglects the beholding the manner how Jesus Christ is propounded and confusedly looketh unto the end alone which is heaven and glory and fancies to himself that he shall attain these by him Though indeed the eye of the souls faith may be fixed upon one particular benefit that is propounded in Jesus Christ in order of nature before his eye is fixed upon another benefit and thereupon it is truly said that Jesus Christ as he is a Saviour and as he saves is the primary object of faith that is the very first object of the first acting of the souls Faith yet this is still but only in order of nature and not in order of time That is thus the soul cannot rightly have his eye of faith upon one benefit to be attained by Jesus Christ but he must have his eye upon all other benefits also propounded in Jesus Christ that are sutable to his poor needy soul 2. A soul conceiteth his salvation by Christ too soon when he conceives that he shall attain Heaven by Christ without looking for any thing to be effected by Christ upon the soul That 's the reason why nothing can dash in sunder their confidence and hope though their consciences tell them their nature is the same and their practice the same that ever it was Yet you must conceive it is only herein that this conceiting salvation by Christ is said to be too soon 1. In that it is preposterous It is a drawing Conclusion without Premises that is without any thing to draw the conclusion upon Then a soul conceiveth rightly when he conceiveth first it is Gods will that Jesus Christ should mediate between God and his soul and take away all the cause of offence and displeasure and then the soul concludes therefore I must needs be saved by Jesus Christ 2. If this conceit of the souls salvation by Christ doth arise from the souls giving credit to any word of God upon which he doth build this conceit then it is only said to be too soon in regard of order that is in regard of order of nature for indeed as for order of time this giving credit to such a word of God as holds forth salvation to him by Christ might and ought to have been at the same time at the giving credit to the other word of God in revealing his union to be effected by the father through Christ 2. Observe That this conceiting their Salvation by Christ is no application of Christ to their own Souls tendered or offered as a Saviour by God A Soul may conceit Salvation by Christ and yet never receive him as a Saviour And that will appear in two things 1. God offers the Lord Jesus as a compleat Saviour Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him To the uttermost even unto perfection that is to save them exactly in all things from all evils and from all fears and dangers that can possibly accrue Now he that conceiteth not that the Lord Jesus should save him from all kind of evils guilt and misery that his Soul is cast into doth not conceit Jesus Christ to be his compleat Saviour and so applys Christ too soon 2. The Salvation that God tenders by Jesus Christ when he tenders him as a Saviour is two-fold First From the guilt of sin That is the delivering and redeeming the Soul from his obligation unto punishment Now this Salvation in Scripture is called reconciliation which is the removing the displeasure of God that should bind it over to everlasting punishment and bring the Soul into a state of amity and unity and love to God And this is the primary cause why Christ received his name Mat. 1.21 His name shall be called Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Secondly God tenders by Christ to save Souls from the pollution of sin So that the Soul that applies Christ rightly as a Saviour applies him thus He sees the Lord tenders the Lord Christ as one that hath triumphed over sin and obtained a glorious conquest over Hell and Death and then he seeth the Lord inviting his Soul to receive the Lord Jesus that he might be partaker of the conquest and thereupon his heart closes with the tender and gives credit to it There is a Seventh Principle of Darkness and that is this That the Lord Christ must not be applied to the Soul too much in a way of comfort Principle of Darkness It is commonly received by many that comfort is more dangerous for the Soul to meddle with than lying under horrour and terrour still They commonly illustrate it by this similitude say they some drops of Aqua-vitae may be exceeding helpful to a poor fainting spirit it may revive a man in a swoun but pouring in of much may overcome a man and choak the natural vital heat and so indangers a mans life just thus say they it is with the Soul when the heart is sinking and fainting and prest down through fears of the anger and displeasure of God against him for sin it may be good for the Soul to have some drops of the precious water flowing down from the bosom of Jesus Christ but say they if you pour in too much you may indanger the Souls life to eternity This is another Hell-bred principle to prevent the Souls sight of Union with Christ There are two grounds of this principle First That the applying the Lord Jesus too much for comforting the Soul may make the soul presumptuous Thus they prove it Say they the applying the Law too much to the soul and opening the terrible Wrath and Indignation of God too much may make the soul despair so on the contrary the opening and applying the glorious Priviledges of Jesus Christ for the comforting the soul too much may put it upon a desperate Rock of Presumption Secondly a second ground is this that the applying the Lord Jesus for the comforting of the soul too much will too soon dry up the Penitent Tears it will soon seal up the Springs of Sorrow and Mourning that were broken up in the soul Now for the clearing of this to be a
of thy judgment declaring the excellency of Jesus Christ tendered that thy affections did work so powerfully 2. It would be considered whether the Lord may not and doth not more frequently stir up higher affections in souls in the first holding forth of the Gospel to them than he always intends afterwards to them Do you think that the Prodigal Luke 15.44 had always those expressions of his fathers delight in his return that he had when he first returned Then there must be the best robe put upon him and a feast and musick But it is a question whether his father put him on such apparel every day and make him a feast every day So the Lord may and I believe doth at the first revealing of his truth give more affections than he intends to continue and more stirrings of grace infused than he intends afterwards constantly to continue yet though there remain not the same activity vivacity liveliness of affection yet there may be the same affection remain nay it may be the affection may be grown in its fixedness and steadiness and in its orderly way of working towards Jesus Christ though it appear not working so powerfully and mightily as it did before You see plainly the conclusion is rashly drawn though from a true principle considered in some sense A third Distemper is fearfulness the timerous disposition of the soul Dark Distemper Now you must rightly understand this distemper for though the Devil cast in the distemper of fearfulness into some souls to keep them from union with Christ yet he casts in the distemper of presumption into more souls to prevent them from seeing the face of God in the glass of the Gospel and so leads their souls into the pit of darkness We shall clear it in two or three conclusions 1. There cannot be too much holy fear possessing any heart That is there cannot be too much awfull reverence of the holy Majesty of God nor too much awfull respect of God as he presents himself cloathed with the precious robe of mercy loving kindness goodness This fear God requires Ps 130.4 There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared 2. There is a fear which is a terrour and dread and horrour of the avenging justice of the Almighty God There is a fear of displeasing this God appearing in this manner least his anger should be so kindled that flames of indignation should proceed from him to the consuming of soul and body for ever And it is this fear that is too much in the souls of Gods dear ones This kind of fear is but a Judas his fear and a Cain's fear and a Saul's fear 3. There is a natural affection of fear that possesseth the hearts of men and women as men and women That 's this a perturbation or a troubling or perplexing or causing the heart to suffer through the motions of the blood and animal spirits to and fro upon the souls apprehending some evil that he is in danger to suffer This kind of fear is not an evil fear absolutely considered But this fear becomes a sinfull distemper through the inordinateness of it As 1. When it exceeds the bounds of reason That is when the heart is perplexed with some evil he shall suffer and can give no ground of this fear The soul is afraid of the loss of heaven and the glorious priviledges tendered in Christ and can render no good account according to reason why his soul is thus afraid 2. When it exceeds the bounds of Grace That is when it exceeds the bounds God hath appointed in his word when it proves a distracting fear and unfits the soul for the duty God requires at his hand And this distemper arises from three principles and accordingly produces three effects whereby the soul is prevented from discerning the light the promise holds forth 1. Commonly it arises from the sense of the souls own guiltiness The sense of a soul to be a guilty person naturally stirs up fear of punishment according to the disposition of men as men and working with natural conscience it stirs up fear of divine vengeance hereafter and so by this means that sinful fear prevails and clouds the soul 2. It ariseth from the souls apprehension of the height of the consequence of the souls right establishment Fear is begotten by looking upon the danger It is like a man standing upon a high Tower and looking upon the downfall though he stands firm it pales the man and makes him afraid So they standing upon the Tower of Eternity come to be sensible of the great danger and thence arises this fear of heart 3. This fear ariseth from the darkness and ignorance wherein the soul remains I mean his ignorance of the way of the right establishment of the soul his ignorance of the nature and large extent of those promises that God vouchsafes to his soul Like a blind man that is in continual fear lest he meet with danger and stumble and fall Walking in darkness strikes a fear naturally in any person much more doth this spiritual darkness produce fear in the soul Now this darkness thus risen hath three effects to prevent the soul from the sight of the promise held forth 1. It causeth the soul to create strange unheard of dangers to himself through the strength of imagination working by fear The very strength of fancy when this distemper of fear prevails causeth the soul to make new dangers to it self every moment and to fear where no fear is And thence he multiplies one objection upon another and the answering of one objection is but the bringing in of another objection 2. This distemper of fearfulness doth prevent the souls right use of the appointed means for the Prevention of real danger discovered The soul thinking to escape presumption by receiving Jesus Christ lest it have no right to him prevents it self of the use of the right means to come to Christ it makes the soul mindless of what the promise holds forth 3. This distemper darkens the reason of the soul and clouds the precious divine light that God hath infused into it It looks upon God in Christ through the dark glass of fear and so is driven from God in Christ rather then drawn to a close with fuller confidence Now there are two things the spirit of God is to do for the removing of this distemper 1. The Spirit of God presents the Lord in his love compassions and tender nature cloathed with the nature of loving-kindness and thereupon begins to allay that passion of fear to prevent the rage and dominion of it The spirit presents the Lord as it were coming down with a still gentle voice speaking to the soul in a precious alluring soul-conquering heart-inamouring way and thereby the heart begins to have dispositions begotten in it to close with God to draw near to God whereas it stood before afar off afrighted and astonished 2. The spirit useth to expostulate with the
poor trembling soul about the cause of his fear and distemper of heart The spirit cometh and expostulateth with the soul why art thou so afraid thou trembling soul why dost stand shaking like a leaf in the forest shaken with the wind why is thy heart so perplexed Saith the spirit Christ will receive thee if thou beest willing to receive Then it may be the passion of fear is allayed and the soul brought to close with the tender of love in Jesus Christ and the soul is brought to a holy fear and trembling laying his mouth in the dust before God thinking himself worthy to go into the pit of wo for ever yet yielding to receive what the Lord propounds in Christ A fourth Distemper is Over much Jealousie Jealousie of God and Jealousie of his own heart Dark Distemper The soul is exceeding prone out of measure to a strange unheard of Jealousie of God to have evil surmisings of God Look to some prophane ones 1. They have such evil surmisings as they suspect God in his being Psal 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God 2. A Second sort surmise that God regards not the commission of sin so as others would perswade them Like those Psal 50 21. that think the Lord to be such a one as themselves they think there need be no such strictness to go to heaven as others would make toem believe That 's the meaning of that thou thoughtest I was such a one as thy self thou thoughtest I would admit thee into heaven notwithstanding all the transgressions thou livest in 3. Others surmise that God is a hard master one that puts heavy yokes upon the neck of his people that they cannot be able to bear They think it a heavy yoke that they can take none of their cursed pleasures and delights and therefore they had as good be out of the world should they come to that near closing and joyning with God in Christ to be one with him 4. A Fourth sort surmise that God will accept of them though they go on in the way of iniquity if they repent at last 5. A Fifth sort are the formal civil ones who think God will be satisfied if they pay every man his own and do none any wrong and perform the duties of Gods worship he requireth at their hands 6. A Sixth sort are those that are detained from God by a distemper of unbelief Unbelief cannot think that the love of God should be extended to the worst of sinners Nay saith the soul the word of God hath declared the contrary All shall not be the objects of the loving-kindness of God in Christ therefore those expresions of his love belongs not to me saith the Soul Now there are two ways how this distemper comes thus to prevail and there are two or three sad effects it hath in the heart 1. This distemper proceeds from another distemper even as bad and that is from a sensual Judgment maintained in the Soul The glorious things of the Gospel being inevident unto the eye of sense yea to the eye of reason being things the eye of man as man never saw nor the ear of man as man never heard nor the heart of man as man never conceived a man must needs pass a false Judgment upon them when he Judgeth by a sensual Judgment and say with Nicodemus how can these things be what to have such iniquities and rebellions cast by into the bottom of the Sea and never remembred any more To have my polluted Soul looked upon as righteous as an Angel it self by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ how can it be Now by judging the glorious Mysteries of the Gospel thus by a sensual judgment the soul cometh to be jealous and supicious of God that it cannot be that God intends such love towards his soul as he manifests in his expressions 2. This Jealousie ariseth from the souls measuring Gods way by its own way According to this principle the soul thinks if any man should offer such injury to me as I have done to God I might profess love but I could never forget him Therefore he concludes the Lord can never forget those injuries his soul hath offered to him But God tells us Isa 55.7 His ways are above our ways and his thoughts above our thoughts As if he should say do not conceive because it is impossible for man to pardon so abundantly that therefore I will not Now in judging Gods ways according to our ways this jealousie prevails and doth produce these sad effects in the heart that prevent the souls discerning its union with Christ in the promise 1. By this Distemper there are groundless conclusions drawn up by the soul against it self The soul once entertaining jealous thoughts of God seldom stays there but jealousie like a Canker eats off more and more the good thoughts it should have of God till at last it draws full conclusions that the Lord hath no good thoughts at all towards it The soul commonly proceeds from care to fear from fear to jealousie and from jealous suspitions to hard conclusions 2. This distemper causeth an evil eye in the soul I mean this he draws an evil conclusion from all Gods works Let God vouchsafe precious revelations of the mystery of his will through the Gospel of Jesus Christ to him while the heart remains under this distemper What says the heart I am afraid it is but to harden me I am afraid it is to increase my condemnation Let God take away his ordinances again and there is as ill a construction made of that the soul under the jealousie presently concludeth iâ— if the Lord intended any good to his soul he would let him use the means but saith the soul I have abused the means and now am deprived of it and therefore now I fear there is no hope Again if you look upon the Lords dealing with the soul outwardly if the Lord lay affliction upon him now I may see indeed saith he that the Lord is angry the Lords indignation is kindled against me for my sin and I know not but it may be a beginning of my everlasting torments and the soul never searcheth whether it may out of faithfulness that the Lord comes thus to chastise outwardly according to that in Ps 119.95 Or let the Lord vouchsafe prosperity outwardly to such a soul ten to one as sad constructions are made of such dealings of God too 3. It causeth the soul to rely upon sight and sense alone in its searching and seeking for the manifestation of his union with Jesus Christ The jealous heart will trust God no further than he sees him So that hereby the soul remaineth under an impossibility of attaining any assurance to his faith of his union with Christ in regard by this the soul doth even renounce the use of faith Now the spirit seeks to remove this distemper and to bring the heart into a sweet confidence of God and