and life Psal 119.112 Psal 40.8 Psal 39.1 Psal 101.3 2 Cor. 1.12 Psal 119 4 5 20. 2 Chron. 19.3 2 Chro. 30.18 19 Neh. 1.11 Isa 26.8 9. I have inclined my heart to keep thy Statutes alwayes even to the end Verse 38. Stablish thy Word unto thy Servant who is devoted to thy fear Verse 44. So shall I keep thy Law continually for ever and ever Verse 45. And I will walk at liberty for I seek thy Precepts Acts 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Heb. 13.18 Pray for us for we trust we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly Gracious Souls do strongly affect that which they cannot easily effect Psal 119.57 Thou art my Portion O Lord I have said that I would keep thy words Some read this Verse thus Lord I have said my portion shall be to keep thy words Holy David was fully determined and resolved in himself to keep Gods Royal Law in spite of the World the flesh and the Devil And so Barnabas exhorted the Dâ—sciples that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord Acts 11.23 As if all piety and truth of Grace consisted in Gracious purposes of heart Certainly when the bent of a mans mind and the setled purpose of a mans Soul and the unfeigned desires of his heart are for God for Grace for holiness in heart in life then the estate and condition of that man is safe and happy 'T is very observable that that great Apostle Paul Though the Needle or the Seamans Compass may jog this way and that way yet the bent of the Needle wâ—ll still be Northward So though a Christian may have his particular sinful joggings this way or that way yet the bent of his heart will still be God-wards Una actio non denominat in his spiritual conflict layes a very great stress upon these things witness Rom. 7. ver 16. If then I do that which I would not I consent unto the Law that it is good So Verse 18. For to will is present with me So Verse 19. For the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do So Verse 21 22. I find then a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me For I delight in the Law of God after the inward man So Verse 25. So then with the mind I my self serve the Law of God Certainly the truth the lise and power of Grace of Holiness of Regeneration is not so much seen in our actions as in the renewing and sanctifying of our minds and wills according to that Rom. 12.2 Be ye transformed or Metamorphosed as the Greek has it by the renewing of your mind No man is to judg of the soundness or sincerity of his Spirit by some particular acts but by the constant frame and bent of his Spirit and by his general conversation in this world If particular actions might determine whether a man had Grace or no Grace whether he were in Christ or not in Christ whether he were a Saint or not a Saint whether he were sincere or unsound we should many times conclude that those had no Grace who indeed have and that they were not in Christ who indeed are and that they are no Saints who indeed are and that they are not sincere who certainly are true Nathaniels The best Saints have had their extravagant motions and have very foully and sadly miscarried as to particular actions even then when the constant course and bent of their spirits have been God-wards and Christ-wards and Holiness-wards and Heaven-wards c witness Davids Murther and Adultery Noahs Drunkenness Lots Incest Josephs Swearing Jobs Cursing Jonahs Vexing Peters Denying and Thomas his not believing Such twinklings do and will accompany the highest and fairest stars As he who foots it best may be found sometimes all along and the neatest person may sometimes slip into a slow He that cannot endure to see a spot upon his Cloaths may yet sometimes fall into a Quagmire So the holiest and exactest Christians may sometimes be surprised with many infirmities and unevennesses and sad miscarriages Certainly particular sinnings are compatible with a gracious frame though none are with a glorious condition Though no darkness no clouds can be mixt with the Sun in Heaven yet both may be in the Ayre which is enlightned below Our best estate on earth is mixt and not absolute Glory annihilates all sinful practices but Grace only weakens them the most sincere Christian is but an imperfect Christian and hath daily cause to mourn over his infirmities as well as he has cause to bless God for his Graces and mercies Well Sirs Look as every particular stain doth not blemish the universal fineness of the Cloth so neither doth this or that particular fact disprove and deny the general bent of the heart particulars may not decide the estate either way 't is true a man by a particular sinning is denominated Guilty but by no one particular can a mans Estate be challenged either for good or bad He that shall judg of a Christians estate by particular acts though notorious bad will certainly condemn the Generation of the Righteous We must alwayes distinguish betwixt some single good actions and a series of good actions Meer particular actions do not conclude either way the estate of the Soul an hypocrite may do some good act and an upright person may do some sinful act A man must give in Judgment for or against himself according as the habitual purpose and temper of his heart stands c. It is not this or that particular good action but a continued course of holy Actions that denominates us holy Certaâ—nly as there is no man so holy but sometimes he falls into this or that particular sin So there is no man so wicked but sometimes he falls in with this or that particular duty witness Pharaoh who in a fit desires Moses and Aaron to pray for him and witness Balaam who in a good mood desires to dye the death of the Righteous and witness Saul who under a pang condemns himself and justifies David And so witness Ahabs humbling of himself and Nineveh's repenting and Foelix his trembling and Herod's hearing of John Baptist gladly Now look as every sin which a godly man falls into through infirmity doth not presently denominate him ungodly so neither will a few good actions done by a wicked man prove him godly 'T is what the course and tenour of the life is that must be most diligently and wisely observed for every man is as his course is if his course be holy the man is so if his course be wicked the man is wicked There is a Maxim in Logick viz. that no general Rule can be stablished upon a particular instance and there is another Maxim in Logick viz. that no particular instance can overthrow a
all fears and doubts objections and temptations But Sixthly and lastly Consider there is a great deal of grace and mercy in Scripture peradventures Exod. 32.30 1 Sam. 9.6 1 Kings 20.31 1 Tim. 2.25 as you may easily see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margent together Scripture peradventures ought to keep down despair and raise our hopes and our hearts to know that God is favourable and that sin is pardonable and that mercy is attainable and that Hell is avoidable is no small comfort to a poor doubting trembling Christian And as there is a great deal of grace and mercy in Scripture peradventures so there is a great deal of grace and favour in Scripture may-be's as you may see by comparing these Scriptures in the Margent together Now if Scripture-peradventures 1 Sam. 14 6. 2 Sam. 16.12 2 Kings 19.4 Isa 37 4. Ezek. 14 11. Amos 5 15. Zeph. 2 3. Dan. 4.27 and Scripture may-be's afford so much support relief and comfort to your souls as indeed they do then doubtless probabilities of grace of an interest in Christ of going to Heaven and of being saved ought very much to support relieve cheer and comfort the hearts of all those that have such probabilities A gracious soul may say when he is lowest and weakest Well though I dare not say that I have Grace yet I have a peradventure for it and though I dare not I cannot say I have an interest in Christ yet if I have a may-be for it I ought to bear up bravely and comfortably against all fears and doubts yea and to take the comfort and the sweet of all those blessed probabilities of grace of an interest in Christ and of being saved and of all the peradventures and may-be's that are scattered up and down in the Book of God and with Hannah to walk up and down without a sad countenance 1 Sam. 1.18 The Twelfth Maxim or Consideration TWelfthly Consider that t is a Christians greatest Wisdom and highest concernment to take the most commodious time for the casting up of his spiritual accounts If I would know what I am worth for another World and what I have to shew for the inheritance of the Saints in light then I am to take my heart when t is at best and when I am most divinely prepared and fitted for this great service then to enter upon it T is no wisdom for a man to go to see his face in troubled waters or to look for a Pearl in a puddle There are some particular times and seasons in which t is no way safe nor convenient for a Christian to enter upon the tryal of his Spiritual estate Times of desertion and temptation are rather times and seasons for mourning watching restling and seeking of God than for judging and determining of our conditions As first when the body is greatly distempered 2. When the Soul is greatly tempted by Satan or sadly deserted by God 3. When the Conscience is so deeply wounded by some great falls as that the Soul is filled with exceeding great fear terror and horror it is with many poor Christians in this case as it hath been with some who have been so struck with the fear and horror of death before the Judg that though they were good Schollars and able to read any thing yet fear and horror hath so surprised them that when their lives have been at stake and the Book hath been given them to read they have not been able to read one line one word So many of the precious servants of Christ when they have been under wounds of Conscience and when they have been filled with fears terrors and horrors they have not been able to look up to Heaven nor read their evidences nor turn to the breasts of the Promises Psal 40.12 Psal 77. Psal 88. Job 23.8 9. nor call to mind their former experiences nor behold the least glimpse of Heavens glories No man in his wits if he were to weigh gold would weigh it in the midst of high winds great storms and horrible tempests which would so hurry the ballance up and down this way and that that it would be impossible for him to weigh his gold exactly Now the tryal of our spiritual estates is like the weighing of gold Job 31.6 Dan. 5.27 for we are all to weigh our selves by the ballance of the Sanctuary God himself will one day weigh us by that ballance and if we hold weight when he comes to weigh us we are safe and happy for ever But when he comes to weigh us in the ballance of the Sanctuary if we shall then be found too light it had been good for us we had never been born when Belshazzar saw the hand-writing upon the wall his countenance was changed Verses 5 6. and his thoughts troubled and the joynts of his loyns were loosed and his knees smote one against another but what was all this to an everlasting separation from God and to those endless easless and remediless torments that such must endure 2 Thess 1.7 8 9 10. who when they are weighed in the ballance shall be found too light A man that would weigh gold to a grain The candle will never burn clear whilst there is a thief in it sin indulged in the conscience is like Jonah in the ship which causeth such a tempest that the Conscience is like a troubled Sea whose waters cannot rest or it is like a more in the eye which causeth a perpetual trouble while it is there must weigh it in a quiet still place And so a man that would make an exact tryal of his spiritual estate he must take his Soul when t is most serious quiet still and composed he must take his heart when it is in the best frame and most disposed to solemn and weighty work There are some times which are very unapt for a gracious person to sit as Judg upon his Spiritual estate and to pass sentence upon his own Soul The best Christians under Heaven do meet with divers inward and outward changes sometimes the light shines so clear that they can see things as they are but at other times all is dark and cloudy and tempestuous and then they are apt to judg themselves by feeling and new representations and not according to the truth O Sirs remember this once for all that times of inward or outward distresses are best for Praying and worst for judging If a man will at such times pass sentence on himself or his estate as a Judg he will certainly judg unrighteous judgment for then the Soul is not it self and is very apt and prone to take Satans work for his own and to side with him against it self yea and then usually it will see nothing it will think of nothing it will dwell upon nothing but what makes against it self 4. When God exercises a man with some exceeding severe and unusual Providences when God steps out of his ordinary way
shall surely live he shall not die Negative righteousness and holiness is no righteousness no holiness in the account of God Luke 18.5 Mat. 20.13 14. It was not the Pharisees negative righteousness nor his comparative goodness that could prevent his being rejected of God or his being shut out of heaven or his being turned into hell It is not enough that the Tree bears no ill fruit but it must bring forth good fruit else it must be cut down and cast into the fire that Tree that is not for fruit is for the fire Mat. 7.19 Every tree that brings not forth good fruit sayes Christ is hewn down and cast into the fire Heaven at last will be found too holy and too hot to hold such as please themselves as satisfie themselves with a negative righteousness All that negative righteousness and holiness can do is only to help a man to one of the coolest chambers and easiest beds in hell True repentance brings the heart and life not only off from sin but on to God too it takes a man not only off from the wayes of death but it engages him to walk in the paths of life Psal 119.3 They do no iniquity Nazianzene speaking of true repentance very aptly compares the soul to a pair of writing tables out of which must be washed whatsoever was written with sin and instead thereof the writing of grace must be writupon the soul both being necessary to true repentance Jer. 31.19 Job 40.4 5. Jer. 4.1 they walk in his wayes Prov. 13.14 The Law of the wise is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death Prov. 15.24 The way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from hell beneath Psal 34.14 Depart from evil and do good We read in Scripture of God's returning to us as well as of our returning to God in both there is repentance When God returns to us he repents of the evil of punishment that he hath brought upon us and when we return to God we repent of the evil of sin which we have committed against him The true penitent does not only sadly smite upon his thigh and say what have I done but he also speedily faces about and cryes out I will do so no more When God calls for true repentance it is with an if thou wilt return O Israel return unto me And when the people of God do provoke and encourage one another to repentance Hosea 6.1 it is with a come let us return unto the Lord. Repentance unto life is not a turning from sin to sin nor 't is not a turning from prophaness to civility nor 't is not a turning from civility to formality but 't is a turning from darkness to light Acts 26.18 't is a turning from the wayes of iniquity into the wayes of piety 't is a turning from sin to God In this respect Israel's repentance was very defective witness that sad complaint of the Prophet Hosea 7.16 They return that is they make a shew of repentance but not to the most High So they in that Joel 2.12 have the half turn but returned not to the Lord with all their hearts So Jehu went far and gave many a half turn but never turned to the most High and that was his ruin at last Such a repentance as brings the soul never the neerer to God is a repentance never the neer but that repentance that brings the soul neerer to God is a repentance never to be repented of And let thus much suffice to have spoken concerning that Evangelical Repentance that hath the precious promises of remission of sin and salvation running out unto it c. CHAP. IV. Several have observed to my hand 'T is better that a hundred hypocrites should perish than that one poor Christian should want his portion Cotton on the Covenant page 78. how far an Hypocrite may go but my design in this Chapter is to shew how far an Hypocrite cannot go Many have discovered at large what an Hypocrite can do but my scope in this Chapter is to shew what an Hypocrite cannot do Some have shewed what an Hypocrite is and I shall now shew what he is not Some have shewed the several rounds in Jacob's Ladder that an Hypocrite may climb up to but my business and work in this Chapter is to shew you the several rounds in Jacob's Ladder that no Hypocrite under heaven can climb up to FIrst An Hypocrites inside is never answerable to his outside an Hypocrites inside is one thing Mat. 23.25 26 27 Luke 11.39 and his outside another thing an Hypocrite is outwardly clean but inwardly unclean he is outwardly glorious but inwardly inglorious Hypocrites are like Apothecaries gally pots having without the title of some excellent Preservative but within they are full of some deadly poyson they are like the Egyptian Temples that were beautifull without but within there was nothing to be found but Serpents and Crocodiles and other venemous creatures Hypocrites trade more for a good name than for a good heart for a good report than for a good conscience they are like Fidlers more careful in tuning their Instruments than in watching their spirits Erasmi â—â—milia Hypocrites are like white silver but they draw black lines they have a seeming sanctified outside but stuff'd within with malice worldliness pride envy c. Like window cushions made up of velvet and richly embroydered but stuff'd within with hay An Hypocrite may offer sacrifice with Cain and fast with Jezabel and humble himself with Ahab and lament with the tears of Esau and kiss Christ with Judas and follow Christ with Demas and offer fair for the holy Ghost with Simon Magus Acts 8.23 and yet for all this his inside as bad as any of theirs An Hypocrite is a Cato without and a Nero within a Jacob without and an Esau within a David without and a Saul within a Peter without and a Judas within a Saint without and a Satan within an Angel without and a Devil within Rom. 2.28 29. An Hypocrit is a Jew outwardly but an Atheist a Pagan Lucian a Turk inwardly I have read of certain Images which on the outside were covered with gold and pearl resembling Jupiter and Neptune but within were nothing but spiders and cobwebs a fit resemblance of Hypocrites Hypocrisie is but an outside like cloth of Arras fair and beautiful without but if you look to the inside you shall find nothing but rags and ends That Monk hit it that said To be a Monk in outward shew was easie but to be a Monk in inward reality was hard To be a Christian in outward shew is easie but to be a Christian inwardly and really is very hard An Hypocrites inside never ecco's or answers to his outside his inside is vicious and his outside is Religious But let all such hypocrites know that dissembled sanctity is double iniquity and accordingly at last they
A CABINET OF CHOICE JEVVELS OR A Box of precious Ointment Being a plain Discovery of or what men are worth for Eternity and how 't is like to go with them in another World Here is also a clear and large Discovery of the several rounds in Jacob's Ladder that no Hypocrite under Heaven can climb up to Here are also such closs piercing distinguishing and discovering evidences as will reach and suit those Christians who are highest in Grace and spiritual Enjoyments and here are many Evidences which are suited to the Capacities and Experiences of the weakest Christians in Christ's School And here Christians may see as in a Glass what a sober Use and Improvement they ought to make of their evidences for Heaven and how in the use of their gracious evidences they ought to live First upon the free grace of God Secondly upon the Mediatory righteousness of Christ Thirdly upon the Covenant of Grace With several other Points of grand Importance c. By Thomas Brooks formerly Preacher of the Gospel at St. Margarets New-Fishstreet Brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unapproved or rejected Omnis anima est aut sponsa Christi aut adultera Diaboli Austin London Printed and are to be sold by John Hancock at the first Shop in Popes-Head-Alley in Cornhil at the sign of the three Bibles or at his Shop in Bishops-Gate-Street near great St. Hellins 1669. To the Right Worshipful Sir John Frederick Knight and the Lady Mary Frederick his pious Consort To Mr. Nathaniel Herne and Mrs. Judith his vertuous Wife All confluence of blessings both for this Life and for that which is to come from the Father of Mercies and God of all Consolations Honoured and Beloved in our Lord Jesus THough I croud your Names together yet I owe more than an Epistle to each of your Names but the Loâ—d having made you near and dear one to another more wayes than one I take the boldness to present this Treatise to you jointly Here is nothing in this Book that relates to the Government of Church or State The design of this Treatise is to shew what men are worth for Eternity and how it is like to go with them in another World Granctensis tells of a woman that was so affected with souls miscarryings that she besought God to stop up the passage into hell with her soul and body that none might have entrance O anima Dei insignita imagine desponsata fide donata spiritu c. Bern. O divine soul invested with the image of God espoused to him by faith c. There are none of the sons of men but bear about with them precious and immortal souls that are more worth than ten thousand thousand worlds if the soul be safe all is safe if that be well all is well if that be lost all is lost The first great work that men are to attend in this World is the eternal safety and security of their souls the next great work is to know to be assured that it shall go well with their souls for ever And these are the main things that are aimed at in this Discourse The soul is the better and more noble part of man upon the soul the Image of God is most fairly stampt the soul is first converted and the soul shall be first and most glorified the soul is that spiritual and immortal substance that is capable of union with God and of communion with God and of an eternal fruition of God Plato though a Heathen could say That he thought the soul to be made all of eternity and that the putting the soul into the body was a sign of great wrath from God Each living corps must yield at last to death Pindarus And every life must leese his vital breath The soul of man that only lives on high And is an image of Eternity The Romans when their Emperors and great Ones died and their bodies were buried they caused an Eagle to mount on high thereby to signifie the souls immortality and ascent He gave good counsel who said Play not the Courtier with your soul the Courtier doth all things late he rises late and dines late and sups late and repents late A Scythian Captain having for a draught of water delivered up his City cryed out Quid perdidi quid prodidi What have I lost what have I betrayed So many at last will cry out What have I lost what have I betrayed I have lost God and Christ and Heaven and have betrayed my precious and immortal soul into the hands of divine Justice and into the hands of Satan Who these men are that will at last thus cry out this Treatise does discover I have read that there was a time when the Romans did wear jewels on their shoes Most men in this day do worse for they trample that matchless jewel of their souls under feet and who these are this Treatise does discover One well observes Chrysost That whereas God hath given many other things double two eyes to see with two ears to hear with two hands to work with and two feet to walk with to the intent that the failing of the one might be supplied by the other but he hath given us but one soul and if that be lost hast thou saith he another soul to give in recompence for it Now who those are whose souls are in a safe estate and who those are whose souls are in danger of being lost for ever this Treatise does plainly and fully discover Psal 15. Psal 144.15 To describe to the life who that man is that is truly happy in this world and that shall be blest for ever in the other world is the work of this ensuing Treatise The grace of the Covâ—nant in us is a sure evidence of Gods entring into the Covenant of grace with us To be in a gracious state is true happiness but to know our selves to be in such a state is the top of our happiness in this world A man may have grace and yet for a time not know it 1. Joh. 5.13 The child lives in the womb but does not know it A man may be in a gracious state and yet not see it Psal 77. Psal 88. he may have a saving work of God upon his soul and yet not discern it he may have the root of the matter in him and yet not be able to evidence it Now to help such poor hearts to a right understanding of their spiritual condition and that they may see and know what they are worth for another world and so go to their graves in joy and peace I have sent this Treatise abroad into the world Will you give me leave to say First Some men of name
in their day have laid down such things for evidences or characters of grace which being weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary will be found too light But here a mantle of love may be of more use than a lamp and therefore Secondly Many yea very many there are whose graces are very weak and much buried under the earth and ashes of many fears doubts scruples strong passions prevailing corruptions and diabolical suggestions who would give as many worlds as there be men in the world had they so many in their hands to give to know that they have grace and that their spiritual estate is good and that they shall be happy for ever Now this Treatise is fitted up for the service of these poor hearts for the weakest Christians may turn to many clear and well-bottomed evidences in this Treatise and throw the Gantlet to Satan and bid him prove if he can that ever any prophane person or cunning hypocrite under heaven had such evidences or such fair certificates to shew for heaven which he has to shew The generality of Christians are weak they are rather Dwarfs than Gyants 1 Pet. 2.2 3. 1 John 2.12 13 14. Isa 40.11 they are rather bruised Reeds than tall Cedars they are rather Babes than men Lambs than sheep c. Now for the service of their souls I have been willing to send this Treatise into the world for this Treatise may speak to them when I may not yea when I cannot yea which is more when I am not Famous Mr. Dod would frequently say He cared not where he was if he could but answer these two Questions 1. Who am I And 2. What do I hear am I a child of God and am I in my way But Thirdly Some there are who are so excessively and immoderately taken up with their Signs Marks and Evidences of grace and of their gracious state c. that Christ is too much neglected Where Christ was born they were all so taken up with their guests that he was not minded nor regarded when others lay in stately rooms he must be laid in a manger Luke 2.7 and more rarely minded by them their hearts don't run out so freely so fully so strongly so frequently so delightfully towards Christ as they should do nor as they would do if they were not too inordinately taken up with their Marks and Signs Now for the rectifying of these mistakes and the cure of these spiritual maladies this Treatise is sent into the world we may and ought to make a sober use of characters and evidences of our gracious estates to support comfort and encourage us in our way to heaven but still in subordination to Christ and to the fresh and frequent exercises of faith upon the person blood and righteousness of Jesus But O! how few Christians are there that are skil'd in this Work of Works this Art of Arts this Mystery of Mysteries But Fourthly Some there are who in these dayes are given up to Enthusiastical Fancies strange Raptures Revelations and to the sad delusions of their own hearts crying down with all their might all discoveries of Believers spiritual estates by Scripture Characters 2 Thes 2.9 10 11. Marks and Signs of Sanctification as carnal and low and all this under fair pretences of exalting Christ and maintaining the honour of his Righteousness and Free-grace and of denying our selves and our own righteousness Though sanctification be a branch of the Covenant of grace as well as Justification Jer. 33.8 Ezek. 36.25 26 27. yet there are a sort of men in the world that would not have Christians to rejoyce in their sanctification under a pretence of reflecting dishonour upon their free justification by Christ. There are many who place all their Religion in opinions in brain-sick notions in airy speculations in quaint disputations in immediate Revelations and in their warm zeal for this or that form of worship Now that these may be recovered and healed and prevented from doing further mischief in the world I have at this time put to a helping hand But Fifthly No man can tell what is in the breasts in the womb of divine Providence The Brathmanni had their graves before their doors The Sybarites at Banquets had a deaths head delivered from hand to hand by every guest at the Table The Egyptians in the midst of their Feasts used to have the Anatomy of a dead man set before them as a memorandum to the guests of their mortality The poor Heathen could say that the whole life of man should be meditatio mortis a meditation of death Dwell upon that Deut. 32.29 Prov. 27 1. no man can tell what a a day a night an hour may bring forth Who can sum up the many possible deaths that are still lurking in his own bowels or the innumerable hosts of external dangers which beleaguer him on every side or how many invisible arrows flie about his ears continually and how soon he may have his mortal wound given him by one of them who can tell Now how sad would it be for a man to have a summons to appear before God in that other world before his heart and life is changed and his evidences for heaven cleared up to him The life of man is but a shadow a post a span a vapour a flower c. Though there is but one way to come into the world yet there are many thousand wayes to be sent out of the world and this should bespeak every Christian to have his evidences for heaven alwayes ready and at hand yea in his hand as well as in his heart and then he will find it an easie thing to die The King of terrors will then be the King of desires to him and he will then travel to glory under a spirit of joy and triumph We carry about in our bodies the matter of a thousand deaths and may die a thousand several wayes several hours As many senses as many members nay as many pores as there are in the body so many windows there are for death to enter in at Death needs not spend all his arrows upon us a Worm a Gnat a Fly a Hair a stone of a Raisin a kernel of a Grape the fall of a Horse the stumble of a Foot the prick of a Pin the pairing of a Nail the cutting one of a Corn all these have been to others and any of them may be to us the means of our death within the space of a few dayes nay of a few hours Don't it therefore highly concern us to have our evidences for heaven cleared sealed shining and at hand Naturalists tell us That if a man sees a Cockatrice first the Cockatrice dieth but if the Cockatrice sees a man first the man dies Certainly if we so see death first as to prepare for it as to get our evidences for heaven ready we shall kill it but if death sees us first and arrests us first before we are prepared
Men of publick spirits shall never die as Jehoram did undesired and unlamented Men of publick spirits lye most open to snares temptations and oppositions c. This all sober Christians well understand and therefore they can't but pray hard for such The names the lives the liberties the estates and all the concernments of men of publick spirits alwayes lye nearest their hearts who lye neerest to the heart of Christ Men of the greatest name and of the greatest renown and that have had the greatest stock of prayers going for them all the world over have been men of publick spirits But Sixthly and lastly When Christians of publick spirits come to dye their publick spiritedness and general usefulness will be no small comfort and cordial to them Nehemiah was a man of a publick spirit and accordingly he pleads it with God Think upon me Neh. 5. ult See Chap. 13.22 O my God for good according to all that I have done for this people This was that which sweetned death to Hezekiah I beseech thee O Lord to remember now how I have walked before thee in truth 2 King 20.3 Acts 13.36 and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight And when David had served his generation he fell asleep Sleep is not more welcom and sweet to a labouring man than death is to him who has made it his business his work sincerely and faithfully to serve his generation Such Magistrates 2 Tim. 4.7 8 9. John 17. Ministers and Christians who have made it their business according to their different measures faithfully to serve their generation have found the King of terrors to be but the King of desires to them when death to men of narrow selfish spirits hath been like the hand-writing upon the wall Dan. 5.5 6. very terrible Many score Instances might be produced out of History to evidence this Take one for all Henry Beauford that rich and wretched Cardinal Bishop of Wâ—nchester and Chancellour of England a man swallowed up in self interest in the Reign of Henry the Sixth when he perceived that he must dye Acts and Mon. fol. 925. and that there was no remedy O! how terrible was death to him and O! how did he murmur and fret and vex at death that his riches could not reprieve him till a further time For saith he wherefore should I die being so rich if the whole Realm would save my life I am able either by policy to get it or by riches to buy it Fie upon death saith he will not death be hired will money do nothing I might instance in men of a higher rank but then I should exceed the bounds of an Epistle The second sort of men that my self and all others are bound 1. Highly to prize 2. Cordially to love And 3. Greatly to honour Are men of charitable spirits men of merciful spirits men of tender and compassionate spirits The Hebrew word for godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies merciful to note that the godly man is the merciful man and the merciful man is the godly man Loving kindness is an ingredient unto godliness The godly man is frequently called Chasid gracious or merciful it notes one that hath obtained mercy goodness grace piety and benignity from the Lord and that is pious kind The Italian form of begging is Do good to your selves gracious and merciful to others Though charity bounty is the most compendious way to plenty and giving to getting and scattering to encreasing and layings out to layings up Prov. 11.24 There is that scattereth and yet increaseth Ver. 25. The liberal soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself Yet how few in our dayes do honour the Lord with their substance Prov. 3.9 Mic. 4.13 how few look a this as a duty to consecrate any part of their gain unto the Lord or of their substance to the Lord of the whole earth Most men now carry it as if God himself had last his propriety and as if there were no rent-penny due to his poor But yet some there are who have liberal hearts and open hands Deut. 15.11 some there are who do open their hands wide to the poor and needy Now here give me leave to say Mat. 25. Prov. 31.8 9. That these 1. Discharge their consciences in the duty of charity 2. These rightly improve the talents of mercy with which they are intrusted 3. These treasure up a stock of prayers Job 29.13 2 Tim. 1.16 both for themselves and theirs the blessing and the prayers of them that were ready to perish will come upon them and theirs 4. These evidence the liveliness of their faith James 2.17 Even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone Ver. 18. Yea a man may say thou hast faith and I have works shew me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works Ver. 26. For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also 5. These take the surest way the readiest course to assure their own souls of Gods eternal favours and mercies to them 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that be rich in this world Ver. 18. That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate Ver. 19. Aeterna vitae vera vlta Aug. Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life Charitable Christians are as wife Merchants happy Usurers parting with that which they cannot keep that they may gain that which they cannot lose 6. These take the surest way to draw down more outward mercies upon themselves The fountain is not diminished Pedagog 3. c. 7 Clemens Alex. but augmented by giving water to the thirsty The widows oyl did increase by running we do not lose but increase our mercies by imparting of them for God's honour and the comfort and benefit of others Luk. 6.38 Give saith Christ and it shall be given to you good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosom The Jews more large and loose garments so that they could bear away much in their bosoms Hence this expression into your bosom The meaning is That the Lord will largely reward the beneficence of his people yea that he will so reward them that they shall perceive that they are rewarded Honour the Lord with thy substance Prov. 3.9 10. so shall thy Barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine God will certainly bless their substance who honour him with their substance The Jews at this day Godw Heb. â—ntiq 27.7 though they are not in their own Countrey and though they have not a Levitical Priesthood yet those who will be reputed Religious amongst them do distribute the tenth of their increase to the
poor The safest chest is the poor mans Box. God will never forget your charity to his Heb. 6.10 Cicero could say that to be rich is not to possess much but to use much And Seneca could rebuke them that so studied to encrease their wealth that they forget to use it being perswaded that God doth bless their increase the more for they have among them a very elegant Proverb to that purpose Decima ut dives fias Pay thy tythes that thou mayest be rich The poor mans hand is Christs Treasury and he shall not lose his reward that casts his mites into that Treasury It is fabled of Midas that what ever he touched he turned it into gold But this is most sure that whatever the hand of charity toucheth it turneth it into gâ—ld be it but a cup of cold water nay into heaven it self Mat. 10.42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward Cold water having not fuel to heat it cold water which cost not the charge of fire to warm it A Sea of pleasures a heaven of blessings attends men of charitable minds though their charity can extend no further than to a cup of cold water for God measures mens deeds by their minds and not their minds by their deeds The Kenites in Sauls time that were born many Ages after Jethro's death received life from his dust and favour from his hospitality nay the very Egyptians for harbouring and at first dealing kindly with the Israelites though without any respect to their righteousness were preserved by Joseph in that sore famine and kindly dealt with ever after by Gods special command I have read a story of one Evagâ—i a rich man who lying upon his death-bed and being importuned by Sinesius a pious Bishop to give something to charitable uses he yielded at last to give three hundred pounds but first took bond of the Bishop that it should be repaid him in another world but before he had been one day dead he is said to have appeared to the Bishop delivering in the bond cancelled as thereby acknowledging that what was promised was made good Whether the Relation be fabulous or not I shall not now stand to determine but this is certain that all acts of charity shall be certainly and signatly rewarded Several Writers observe that the ground is most barren nearest the golden Mines and experience tells us that many who are enriched with fair estates are most barren in good works but this will be bitterness in the end He that shall consult two Scriptures among many others will conclude that he that hath a withered hand has no honest heart 2 Chron. 31.10 1 John 3.17 The wealth that such men have is but as Aristotle calls it Arist Rhetor. l. 2. c. 6. Foelix amentia a happy madness because they are so taken up with their wealth that they neither know what they are nor what they do Josephus writing of the waters of Egypt saith That they were blood in the hands of an Aegyptian but water in the hand of an Israelite Wealth in the hand of a worldling is like blood in the hand which is good for nothing Josephus but wealth in the hand of a charitable Christian is like water in the hand which may be of use both to a mans self and others By what has been said there is nothing more evident than this viz. That men of publick spirits and men of charitable spirits of all men on earth are 1. To be most highly prized 2. Most cordially loved And 3. Most greatly honoured c. Gentlemen those that shall read what I have writ in this Epistle concerning publick spiritedness and charitableness and know you well they know how to make the Application without any further direction from me Sir John I must crave leave to say that it is and will be your honour and comfort both in life and death and in the day of your account that in all the great Places Offices and Employments unto which divine Providence has called you for divers years together you have laid out your time your strength your estate for the publick good when others have been serving themselves upon the publick you have been a serving of the publick Sir 't is your great mercy and happiness that you can stand forth and say as once Samuel did Behold here I am witness against me 1 Sam. 12.3 whose Ox have I taken or whose Ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith Your prudence and moderation before your Mayoralty and in it when you had many a narrow bridge to go over and after it to this day will never be forgotten by all sober Citizens Sir the French History tells us that when an old Courtier would needs depart from the Court and retire himself to a private life the King desired him to leave his advice in some general Rules about the Government of his Kingdom Upon this motion of the King the old Courtier took a sheet of white paper and writ upon the top of the leaf Moderation and in the middle of the leaf Moderation and at the bottom of the leaf Moderation intimating to the King that the only way to keep his Kingdom in Peace and Prosperity was to manage his Government throughout with a spirit of Moderation When Vespasian asked Apollonius what was the cause of Nero's ruin he answered That Nero could tune the Harp well but in Government he did alwayes wind up the strings too high or let them down too low Both of your staying in London in the time of the last great Plague when death peep'd in at every window and when most Magistrates Ministers and People were fled from their Habitations the terror of the Lord and of his judgments being very great in that day upon all sorts and ranks of men and that chiefly mainly if not only upon the account of publick service and that nothing might be wanting on your side to preserve poor creatures from perishing The old Romans for lesser services than you did in these dismal dayes have set up many a statue of brass but the Lord is faithful and will not forget to reward your work your great work your hazardous work and that matchless love and bowels that you shew'd to very many that were impoverished for want of Trade and to very many that lay in a sick languishing and dying condition How free how full how seasonable how sutable how impartial how constant and well regulated your charity then was and since hath been is very well known to God above and to some faithful friends still alive but all will out in the great day Mat. 25. I know you don't love that your left hand should know what your
lay a stumbling block before the blind this were to delude poor souls Ezek. 13.22 v. and to make them glad whom God would not have made glad yea this is the high-way the ready way to make them miserable in both worlds The rule or evidence that every Christian is to measure himself by must be neither too long nor too short but adequate to the state of a Christian that is it must not be so long on the one hand as that all Christians cannot reach it nor yet so short on the other hand as that it will not reach a true Christian but the rule or evidence must be such as will suit and fit every sincere believer and none else Some Christians are apt to judge of themselves and to try themselves by such rules or evidences as are competent only to those that are strong men in Christ and that are grown to a high pitch of grace of holiness of communion with God of spiritual enjoymenâ—s and heavenly attainments and sweet and blessed â—avishments of soul and by this means they come to conclude against the works of the blessed spirit in them and to perplex and disquiet their own souls with needless fears doubts and jealousies others on the other hand are apt to judge of themselves and to try themselves by such things rules or evidences that are too short and will certainly leave them short of heaven as a fair civil deportment among all sorts and ranks of men a good nature paying every man their dâ—e charity to the poor Mat. 23. Luke 18 9 10 11 12. v. Isa 1.2 3 4 5. a good name or fame among men yea happily among good men outward exercises of Religion as hearing praying reading fasting or that they are good negative Christians that is to say that they are no drunkards swearers lyars adulterers extortioners oppressors Sabbath-breakers persecutor c. Phil. 3.4.5 6 v. Gal. 6.3 Isa 33.14 Thus far Paul attained before his conversion but if he had gone no further he had been a lost man for ever and by this means they flatter themselves into misery and are still a dreaming of going to heaven till they drop into hell and awake with everlasting flames about their ears And oh that all that preach or print read or write would seriously lay this to heart some in describing the state of a Christian shew rather what of right it should be than what indeed it is they shew what Christians ought to be rather than what they find themselves to be and so they become a double edged sword to many Christians But The fourth Maxim or Consideration FOurthly consider Where there is any one grace in truth there is every grace in truth though every grace cannot be seen Look as a man may certainly know a wicked man by his living under the reign and dominion of any one sin As they say of the cardinal vertues Virtutes sunt inter se connexa The vertues are chained together so we may say of the graces of the Spirit c. Mark saith Chrysostom 't is not working of miracles casting out of devils but love to our brethren that 's the infallible proof of being a Disciple though he does not live under the power of other sins because there is not any one sin mortified in that man that hath any one sin reigning in him and that does not set himself in good earnest against it as his greatest enemy So when a Christian can but find any one grace in him as love to the Saints for grace sake for godliness sake he may safely conclude that there is in him all other graces where there is but one link of this golden chain there are all the links of this golden chain Joh. 13.35 By this shall all men know ye are my Disciples if ye love one another He doth not say if ye work miracles if ye raise the dead if ye give eyes to the blind or ears to the deaf or tongues to the dumb or feet to the lame but if ye love one another There have been many yea very many precious Christians who have lived and died with a great deal of comfort and peace from the application of that Text to their own souls 1 John 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren Sincere love to the brethren is a most evident sign of a Christians being already passed or translated from death to life observe the Apostle doth not say we think we have passed from death to life but we know we have passed from death to life nor he does not say we conjecture we have passed from death to life but we know we have passed from death to life nor he does not say we hope we are passed from death to life but we are assured that we are passed from death to life that is from a state of nature into a state of grace because we love the brethren for ever remember this when all other evidences have failed many gracious Christians and all other Texts of Scripture have afforded them no comfort here they have anchored here they have found rest for their distressed souls and upon this one single planck this one evidence they have swam safely and comfortably unto the haven of eternal happiness Every real Christian hath in some measure every sanctifying grace in him as a child so soon as it is born is a perfect man for integrity of parts and entireness of limbs though not for bigness and bulk of body so every regenerate person at the very first hour of his conversion 1 Thes 5.23 John 3 5 6 7 8. Chap. 1.16 Psal 45.13 The new creature hath all the paâ—ts and lineaments as in the body there is a composition of all the elements and a mixture of all the humours he is in part renewed in all parts all the habits of grace are infused into the soul by the Spirit at once at first conversion the soul is bespangled with every grace though every grace is not then grown up to its full proportion or perfection so that where there is one grace in truth there is every grace in truth that soul that can truly and seriously conclude that he has any one grace in him that soul ought to conclude that there is every grace in him Such as diligently search the Scripture shall find that true blessedness Mat. 5.3 4 5 6 c. Every child of God hath all the graces of the spirit in him radically though not gradually happiness and salvation is attributed to several signs sometimes to the fear of God sometimes to faith sometimes to repentance sometimes to love sometimes to meekness sometimes to humility sometimes to patience sometimes to poverty of spirit sometimes to holy mourning sometimes to hungering and thirsting after righteousness so that if a godly man can find any one of these in himself he may safely and groundedly conclude of his salvation and justification
Chap. 35.2 10. Jer. 33.9 11. Psal 132.16 and greater applause in the promise Mat. 10.32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my father which is in heaven I and before the Angels too Luke 12.8 Mat. 25 31-41 1 Cor. 6.2 3. 2 Thes 1.6 7 8 9 10. Rev. 3.9 Isa 60.12 13 14. Then certainly you have an interest in the promise When a man can shew his own heart daily in the glass of the promises a greater worth excellency and glory than all this world affords without all controversie he has an interest in the promises Thus those Worthies of whom this world was not worthy Heb. 11. and the Martyrs in all ages did commonly present better higher and greater things to their own souls in the promises than any their adversaries were able to propose to draw them off from Christ their profession or principles c. and by this means they did very couragiously honorably maintain their ground in the face of all the gay and golden temptations that they met withal Mat. 5.10 11 12 Burn my foot if you will said that noble Martyr S. Basil that it may da ce everlastingly with the Angels in heaven Crudelitas vestra gloria nostra Your cruelty is our glory said they in Tertullian and the harder we are put to it the greater shall be our reward in heaven Basiâ— will tell you that the most cruel Martyrdom is but a crafty trick to escape death to pass from life to life as he speaks It can be but a dayes journey between the Cross and Paradise Though the Cross be bitter yet it is but short A little storm as one said of Julians persecution and an eternal calm follows Adrianus seeing the Martyrs suffer cheerfully such grievous and dreadful things asked Why they would endure such misery 1 Cor. 2.9 when they might by retracting free themselves upon which one of them alledged that Text Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The naming of the Text and seeing them suffer such hard things cheerfully did by a blessing from on high so really and effectually convert him that afterwards he became a Martyr too Acts 16.25 When we see poor weak feeble Christians defying their torments conquering in the midst of sufferings singing in prison as Paul and Silas did kissing the stake as Henry Voes did clapping their hands when they were half consumed with fire as Hawkes did blessing God that ever they were born to see that day as John Noyes did calling their execution day their wedding day as Bishop Ridley did we cannot but conclude that they had an eye to the recompence of reward and they saw such great and sweet and glorious things in the promises that did so refresh delight and ravish their hearts and transport their souls that all their heavy afflictions seem'd light and their long afflictions short and their most bitter afflictions sweet and easie to them But The sixth Maxim or Consideration SIxthly consider That 't is granted on all hands that the least degree of grace if true is sufficient to salvation for the promises of life and glory of remission and salvation of everlasting happiness and blessedness Mark 16.16 John 3.16 36. Mâ—t. 5. John 6 40. are not made over to degrees of grace but to the truth of grace not to faith in triumph but to faith in truth and therefore the sense and evidence of the least grace yea of the least degree of the least grace may afford some measure of assurance Grace is the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 and the Tree is known by his fruit Mat. 12.33 I don't say An eminent Minister who was a famous instrument of converting many to God was wont to say that for his own pat he had no other evidence in himself of being in the state of grace than that he was sensible of his deadness that weak grace will afford a strong assurance or a full assurance for that rather arises from strength of grace than from truth of grace but I say weak grace may afford some assurance And oh that all weak Christians would seriously lay this to heart for it may serve to relieve them against many fears doubts discouragements and jealousies which do much disturb the peace and comfort of their precious souls though the least measures of grace can't satisfie a sincere Christian yet they ought to quiet his conscience and chear his heart and confirm his judgment of his interest in Christ The least measure of grace is like a Diamond very little in bulk but of high price and mighty value and accordingly we are to improve it for our comfort and encouragement A Goldsmith makes reckoning of the least filings of gold Slight not the lowest the meanest evidences of grace God may put thee to make use of the lowest as thou thinkest even that 1 Joh. 3.14 that may be worth a thousand worlds to thee Page 33. of a little piece called a choice drop of honey and so should we of the least measures of grace A man may read the Kings Image upon a silver penny as well as upon a larger piece of coyn The least dram of grace bears the Image of God upon it and why then should it not evidence the goodness and happiness of a Christians estate It 's a true saying That the assurance of an eternal life is the life of this temporal life I have read that Mr. Jordain one of the Aldermen of the City of Exeter would use to ask grown Professors whether they had any assurance which if they denied he would tell them that he was even ashamed of them In good earnest saith he I would study the promises and go into my closet and lock the door and there plead them to God and say that I would not go forth till he gave me some sence of his love He would often mention and try himself by these three Marks First a sincere desire to fear the name of God which he grounded upon that Neh. 1. ult Secondly a sincere desire to do the will of God in all things required which he grounded upon Psal 119.6 Thirdly a full purpose of heart to cleave to the Lord which he grounded upon Act. 11.23 The discovery of grace in thy heart though but one grain and that of mustard-seed will assure thee of thy election and final salvation Fords spirit of Adoption p. 248. These he would often press upon others and these he frequently tryed himself by and from these he had much assurance and comfort Mr. Stephen Marshal in a Sermon of his on Isa 9.2 saith Look and examine whether thou dost not loath thy self as a base creature and dost thou make this nothing Secondly Dost thou not in thy heart value and prize the meanest child of God more than the greatest men in the world
vile and unworthy otherwise be saved Now mark answerable to the evidence that a man hath in his own soul that faith and repentance is wrote in him so will his hope and assurance be weaker or stronger more or less If a mans evidence for the truth of his faith and repentance be dark and weak and low and uncertain his hope and assurance that is born of these parents as I may say must needs partake of its parents weakness and infirmities and be it self weak and dark and low and wavering and uncertain as they are from which it results â—ope and assurance ebbs and flows as the evidence of a mans faith and repentance ebbs and flows Assurance can't be ordinarily had without a serious examination of our own hearts for assurance is the certain knowledge of the conclusion drawn from the premises one out of Scripture the other by a reflect act of the understanding or conscience thus He that believes and repents shall certainly be saved that is the voice of the Word of God then by the search of a mans own heart he must be able to say but I believe and repent and from these two doth result this assurance that he may safely conclude therefore I shall be saved And O that all Christians were so wise as seriously to ponder upon these things Thirdly a godly man may argue thus He that hath respect unto all Gods commands shall never be ashamed Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto a l thy câ—mmandments Shame is both the temporaâ—â— deternal fruâ—â— sin Rom 6â—â— Dan. 12.2 He that is so honest and faithful with God as to do his best shall find that God will be so gracious as to pardon his worst And this Gospel indulgence David does more than hint at in those words Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments Or as the Hebrew has it Then shall I not blush when my eye is to all thy commandments The Traveller you know hath his eye towards the place where he is going and though he be yet short of it yet he is putting on and pressing forward all he can to reach it so when the eye of a Saint is to all the commands of God and he is still a pressing forwards toward full obedience such a foul shall never be put to shame it shall never be put to the blush but it shall be able living and dying boldly to appear in the presence of the Lord. Mark the Psalmist doth not say when I obey all thy commandments but when I have respect to all thy commandments and that implies an inward aw and reverential eye towards every duty God requires You know to have respect unto a thing is this When that of all others swayes most with us as when a Master commands such a business the servant will do it because he respects him and at his command he will go and come though he will not at the command of any other But I have respect unto all his commandments therefore I shall never be ashamed Fourthly a godly man may argue thus He that loveth the brethren is past from death to life and consequently is in Christ 1 John 3.18 19. But I love the brethren therefore I am passed from death to life and so consequently am in Christ Fifthly a godly man may argue thus He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall certainly find mercy Prov. 28.13 But I confess and forsake my sins 1. In respect of my sincere desires 2. In respect of my gracious purposes 3. In respect of my fixed resolutions 4. In respect of my faithful and constant endeavours therefore I shall certainly find mercy Sixthly a godly man may argue thus He that hath the testimony of a good conscience he may rejoyce in that testimony 2 Cor. 1.12 Isa 38.3 But I have the testimony of a good conscience therefore I may rejoyce in that testimony Seventhly a godly man may argue thus He over whom presumptious sins has not dominion is upright Psal 19.13 keep back thy servant from presumptious sins let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright But presumptious sins has not dominion over me therefore I am upright Mark unfeigned willingness to part with every sin and to mortifie every sin is a sure sign of uprightness a sure sign of saving grace when a man is sincerely willing to leave every sin and to indulge himself in none no not his darling sin it is a most certain sign of his integrity and sincerity as you may evidently see by comparing of these Scriptures together Psal 17.1 3 4. Psal 119.1 2 3 6. Job 1.8 and Chap. 2.3 Psal 18.23 I was upright before him Oh but how do you know that how do you prove that how are you assured of that Why by this that I have kept my self from mine iniquity Doubtless there is as much of the power of God required and as much strength of grace required and as much of the presence and assistance of the Spirit required to work a man off from his bosom sins from his darling sins from his beloved sins as there is required to work him off from all other sins a conquest here clearly speaks out uprightness of heart Eighthly a godly man may argue thus He whose heart doth not condemn him 1. Of giving himself over to a voluntary serving of sin Or 2. Of making a trade of sin Or 3. Of allowing of himself in any course or way of sin Or 4. Of sinning as wicked men sin who sin studiously resolutely affectionately delightfully customarily wilfully or with their whole will or with the full consent and sway of their souls Or 5. of indulging conniving or winking at any known sin Or 6. Of living in the daily neglect of any known positive duty against light and conscience or of an ordinary shifting off of any known service hat God requires of him in that place or station wherein God has set him may have confidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is boldness liberty of speech towards God 1 John 3.21 But my heart does not condemn me 1. Of giving my self over to a voluntary serving of sin Nor 2. Of making a trade of sin Nor 3. Of allowing my self in any course or way of sin Nor 4. Of sinning as wicked men sin viz. studiously resolutely affectionately delightfully customarily wilfully Nor 5. Of indulging conniving or winking at any known sin Nor 6. Of living in the daily neglect of any known duty against light and conscience therefore I may have confidence or boldness towards God I may use liberty of speech with God I may use the liberty and freedom of a favourite of heaven I may open my heart to God as favourites do to their Prince viz. freely familiarly boldly When Austin was converted and his heart sincere with God he could bless God that he could think of his former evil wayes which were very bad without
that is sins own work and not ours but he sayes Let it not reign in you for when a King reigns the Subjects do â—s it were actively obey and embrace his command whereas they are rather patients than agents in a tyranny a regenerate mans will riseth against his sin even then when he is worsted by sin and led captive by sin A Tyrant is obeyed unwillingly the wills of his subjects rise up against his commands and if his power were not superior to their wills they would never obey him Sin is no King but a Tyrant in the souls of the Saints and therefore their wills so far as they are renewed can't but rise against it O Sirs remember this for ever that the molesting vexing and tempting power of sin does not speak out its dominion for sin may molest and vex and tempt as an enemy where it doth not rule and reign as a King as you see this day in many Nations of the earth there are many enemies that do molest vex and tempt the subjects of those Nations who yet are far enough off from having any rule or dominion over them but then sin is in dominion when it commands in the heart as a King in his Throne or as a Lord in his house or as a General in his Army freely boldly universally cheerfully and when the soul doth as freely boldly universally and cheerfully subject it self to sins commands where men commonly yield up their wills and affections to the commands of sin there sin reigns and this is the case of every unregenerate man but where the will does commonly make a stout opposition to sin there it reigns not now this is the case of every regenerate man That Prince cannot truly be said to reign in that Kingdom where commonly he meets with stout opposition So 't is here A sincere Christian makes it the great business and work of his life above all other things in this world to make all the opposition he can against his lusts and is throughly resolved to die fighting against his sins as Pietro Candiano one of the Dukes of Venice died fighting against the Nauritines It is a harder thing to fight with a mans lusts than to fight with the cross Augustine with the weapons in his hand Aâ— Caesar said in a battel he fought against one of Pompey's sons at other times I fought for honour but now I fight for my life so a sincere Christian fights against his sins as for his life Castellio's opinion was vain viz. That men are of three sorts some unregenerate some regenerating and others regenerated and that these last have no combat betwixt flesh and spirit which is quite cross to Scripture Rom. 7 14-24 Gal. 5.17 c. and contrary to the experience of all Saints in all the ages of the world But Thirdly When a man is usually peremptory in his sinnings in the face of all reprehensions and arguments that tend to disswade him from sin Prov. 29.1 Jer. 5.3 4. 44.15 16 17. then sin is in dominion when the constant bent of the heart is inflamed towards sin and when the desires of the soul are insatiably carried after sin and when the resolutions of the soul are strongly and habitually set upon sin Hos 2.6 7. then sin is in the Throne and then it reigns as a King when God hedges up the sinners way with thorns yet the sinner will break through all to his sin when life and death heaven and hell glory and misery are set before the sinner Deut. 30.15 19. 11.26 27 28.29 yet the sinner will be peremptory in his sinnings though he lose his life his soul and all the glory of another world then sin reigns But Fourthly When men ordinarily habitually commonly are very careful studious and laborious to make provision for sin then sin reigns Rom. 13. ult Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof or as the Greek has it David in an hour of temptation once made provision for his lusts 2 Sam. 11.14 15. but this was not his course his trade c. Make no projects for the flesh or cater not for the flesh when a mans head and heart is full of projects how to gratifie this lust and how to satisfie that lust and how to fulfil t'other lust then sin reigns then 't is in its throne Jam. 4.3 Ye ask and receive not because you ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your lusts Both the Law of God and nature requires me to make provision of raiment food and physick for my body and for theirs that are under my charge but it may cost me my life my estate yea my very soul to make provision for my lusts Such as ask amiss shall be sure to ask and miss he that would make God a Baud to his lusts may ask long enough before God will answer of all affronts there is none to this of making God a servant to our lusts Hos 2.8 and where this frame of spirit is there sin is in dominion He that abuses mercies to serve his lusts fights against God with his own weapons as David did against Goliah and as Benhadad did against Ahab with that very life that he had newly given him such a soul like the waters of Jordan will at last certainly drop into the dead lake But Fifthly When sin is commonly habitually sweet and the soul takes a daily pleasure and delight in it then it reigns as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margenâ— together Joh 20.12 13. Prov. 2.14 Amos 6.13 Zeph. 3.11 2 Thes 2.12 when a man daily takes as joyful contentation and satisfaction in his lusts and in walking after the wayes of his own heart as he does in his highest outward enjoyments oâ— in his nearest and dearest relations then certainly sin is in dominion Such men as can go constantly on in a way of wickedness meerly to delight and content the flesh such men are certainly under the power and reign of sin Many of the Heathens who knew what rational delights were scorned sensual delights as inferior to them These will one day rise in judgment against many of the Professors in our dayes I know there is no real pleasure or delight in sin if intemperance could afford more pleasure than temperance then Hiliogabalus should have been more happy than Adam in Paradise yea if there were the least real delight in sin there could be no perfect hell where men shall most perfectly sin and most perfectly be tormented with their sins Heark Scholar said the Harlot to Apulciuâ— 't is but a bitter sweet that you are so fond of Pâ—â—â—rh When an Asp stings a man it doth at first tickle him and make him laugh till the poyson by little and little gets to his heart and then it pains him more than before it delighted him 'T is so with sin it may tickle the soul at first but it will pain
that Jesus Christ may still set up his Laws in my heart and exercise his dominion over me Now doubtless there is not the weakest Christian in the world but can venture himself upon such an appeal to God as this is and without all peradventure where such a frame and temper of spirit is there the dominion of Jesus Christ is set up and where the dominion of Christ is set up there sin has no dominion Mat. 6.24 but where the dominion of Christ is not set up there sin is in full dominion Christ's dominion cannot consist with sins dominion nor sins dominion cannot consist with Christ's dominion Now by these eight things if men are not resolved before hand to put a cheat upon their own souls they may know whether their sins have dominion over them or no and so accordingly conclude for or against themselves But Fifteenthly and lastly A godly man may argue thus There is no condemnation to them who walk not after the flesh Walking in Scripture signifies to hold on a course of life Gen. 5.22 17.1 but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 But I walk not after the flesh but after the spirit therefore there is no condemnation to me Walking after the flesh notes a course of sin and walking after the spirit notes a course of godliness Now to such as keep off from a course of sin and that keep on in a course of godliness there is no condemnation there is not one condemnation for God the father won't condemn such a person nor Jesus Christ won't condemn such a person nor the holy spirit won't condemn such a person nor the word of grace won't condemn such a person nor no commandment or threatnings will condemn such a person no nor such a mans own heart nor conscience if it be rightly informed won't condemn him and therefore well may the holy Ghost say to such a one there is no condemnation to such a one there is not one condemnation c. ☞ Now thus you see by comparing spiritual things with spiritual things and by a rational arguing from Scripture a man may attain unto a comfortable certainty of his gracious state and safely and groundedly conclude his interest in Christ Now this assurance of Gods favour by the witnessing of our own spirits which assurance is deduced by way of argument syllogistically is more easily attained than many may I not say than most Christians imagine for let a gracious man but clear himself of heart-condemning sins 1 Joh. 3.20 21. and rationally argue as before has been hinted and he will speedâ—ly reach to some comfortable supporting soul-satisfying and soul-quieting assurance there being an infallible connexion between the forementioned graces and future glory These fifteen arguments may well be lookt upon as fifteen sure and infallible evidences of the goodness and happiness of a Christians estate O that you would often every day think on this viz. That the undoubted verity of Gods promises proveth an inseparable connexion between true faith and eternal glory John 3.14 15 16. And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life John 5.24 Verily verily these serious asseverations or protestations amount almost to an oath I say unto you he that heareth my words and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life John 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life He hath it in the promise he hath it in the first Fruits Rom. 8.23 he hath it in the earnest Ephes 1.13 14. and he hath it in Christ his Head Ephes 2.6 Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is Baptised shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned 1 Pet. 2.6 Behold I lay in Sion a chief Corner stone Elect precious and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded John 6.40 And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Verse 47. Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath everlasting Life John 2.25 Jesus said unto her I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live Verse 26. And whosoever liveth and believeâ—h in me shall never dye John 20.31 But these are written that ye may believe that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his name Look as certainly as the unbeliever shall be cast into outer darkness so certainly shall the Believer be partaker of the glorious inheritance of the Saints in light for certainly the Promises are as true as the threatnings Acts 16.30 31. Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Josh 23.14 chap. 21.45 The Apostle speaks not doubtingly perhaps thou shalt be saved nor they do not say Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and it may be thou mayest go to Heaven but they speak boldly confidently peremptorily believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved O my Soul what greater certainty and security can any man have than the infallible promise of that God that is truth it self who will not who cannot deny his word but the same love and free Grace that moved him to infuse grace into his childrens souls will move him also to keep the word that is gone out of his mouth and to make good whatever he hath promised thus you evidently see that the Promises prove an inseparable connexion between Grace and glory between Faith and everlasting Life so that let me but prove that I have a saving Faith and the Scriptures last cited prove infallibly that I shall be saved O labour as for life daily to give a firm and fixed assent to the truth of those blessed Promises last cited and hold it as an indisputable and inviolable Principle That whosoever believeth on the Lord Jesus Christ or whosoever hath received Christ as his Lord and Saviour shall be certainly saved 1 Tim. 1.15 1 John 1.9 Heb. 6.17 18. â—zek 32.11 and chap. 18.32 1 John 5.10.14 Jam. 2 19. This is the person that hath the Word the Promise the Covenant the Oath of that God that cannot possibly lye or dye for the pardon of his sin and for the Salvation of his Soul Now O my Soul what security couldest thou ask more of a deceitful man than that which the great Iehovah â—he faithful God of his own accord hath given to thee viz. his word and his Oath Now not to believe God upon his Promise and Oath is to make him a Lyar yea the worst of Lyars yea 't is
then his desire Luke 17.5 are most for faith you shall then find him with the Disciples crying out Lord increase our faith But now though a wicked mans heart rise against every grace yet it rises most strongly against those particular graces which are most opposite and contrary to those particular lusts which are a wicked mans bosom lusts Mat. 26.8 9. his darling sins c. Hence the covetous heart rises and swells most against liberality as you see in Judas Rev. 3.15 16 17. Luke 19. What need this waste Flesh and bloud looks upon all as lost that is laid out upon Christ his servants and services And the luke-warm Christians heart rises and swells most against zeal and fervency and the griping Userers heart rises and swells most against restitution Job 21.14 15. and the adulterers heart rises and swells most against purity chastity continency and the ignorant mans heart rises and swells most against light and knowledge Eccles 7.10 the ignorant man is willing to go to hell in the dark and ready and bold enough to conclude that we never had such sad and bad times as we have had since there hath been so much preaching and so much hearing and so much fasting and so much praying and so much light and knowledge in the world But now it is quite otherwise with a true child of God Rom. 7.22 23. for his heart rises and swells most against the Toad or Toads that are in his own bosom and the daily and earnest desires of his soul are that God would make him eminent in every grace yea that God would make him most eminent in those particular graces which are most opposite and contrary to those particular lusts and corruptions which more peculiarly more especially he hath cause to call his iniquity Psal 49.5 or the iniquities of his heart and of his heels Look as we have some dirt more or less that will still cleave to our heels whilst we are in a dirty world so there is some defilements and pollutions that will still be cleaving to all our duties services wayes and walkings in this world which we may well call the iniquity of our heels Now a gracious heart rises most against these c. Thirteenthly No man can truly love grace in another but he that has true grace in his own soul 1 John 3.10 No man can love a Saint as a Saint but he that is a real Saint no man can love holiness in another but he that has holiness in his own soul no man can love a good man for goodness sake but he that is really good We know that we have passed from death to life 1 John 3.14 This Text you have opened in the first Maxim of this Book because we love the brethren Sincere love to the brethren is a most evident sign of a Christians being already passed or translated from death to life that is from a state of nature into a state of grace such a poor soul that dares not say that he has grace in his own heart yet dares say before the Lord that he loves delights and takes pleasure to see the holy graces of the Spirit sparkling and shining in the hearts lives and lips of other Saints secretly wishing in himself that his soul were but in their case and that dares say before the Lord Psal 15.1 4. Psal 16.3 He that loves his brother saith Augustine better knows his love wherewith he loves than his brother whom he loves that there are no men in all the world that are so precious so lovely so comely so excellent and so honourable in his account in his eye as those that have the Image of God of Christ of grace of holiness most clearly most fairly and most fully stampt upon them When a poor Christian can rejoyce in every light in every Sun that out-shines his own when he sees wisdom and knowledge shining in one Saint and faith and love shining in another Saint and humility and lowliness shining in another Saint and meekness and uprightness shining in another Saint and zeal and courage shining in another Saint and patience and constancy shining in another and then can make his retreat to his closet admiring blessing of the Lord for the various graces of his Spirit shining in his children and be frequent and earnest with God that those very graces might shine as so many Suns in his soul doubtless such a poor soul has true grace and is happy and will be happy to all eternity In Tertullian's time the Heathen would point out the Christians by this mark See how they love one another Now to prevent mistakes I shall shew you the several properties of sincere love to the Saints First True love to the Saints is spiritual it is a love for the Image of God that is stampt upon the soul 1 John 5.1 Every one that loveth him that begat 1 John 4.7 loveth him also that is begotten of him A soul that truly loves loves the father for his own sake and the children for the fathers sake If the Image of God be the load-stone that drawes out our love to the Saints then our love is real to them he that does not love the Saints as Saints he that does not love them under a spiritual notion he hath no true affection to them Naturally we hate God Gen. 3.15 1 John 3.12 because he is a holy God and his Law because it is an holy Law and his people because they are a holy people 'T is only the Spirit of God that can inable a man to love a Saint for the image of God that is in him many there are which love Christians for their goods not for their good they love them for the money that is in their purses but not for the grace that is in their hearts many like the Bohemian Cur fawn upon a good suit Love to the Saints for the Image of God stampt upon them is a flower that does not grow in natures garden No man can love grace in another mans heart but he that hath grace in his own men do not more naturally love their parents Prov. 29.10 Ezek. 25.15 and love their children and love themselves than they do naturally hate the image of God upon his people and wayes I have read of one who was so lusty and quarrelsom that he was ready to fight with his own image so often as he saw it in a glass O! how many are there in these dayes that are still a quarrelling and fighting with the image of God wherever they see it True love is for what of the divine nature for what of Christ and grace shines in a man it is one thing to love a godly man and anther thing to love him for godliness Many love godly men as they are Politicians or Potent or Learned or of a sweet nature or affable or related or as they have been kind to them
the face of all fears doubts disputes cavils and objections and though it cannot clear its title to Christ yet will stay and hang it self upon Christ for life and happiness that man is certainly a Believer and will be everlastingly saved Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 if I must die I will die at his feet and in the midst of death expect a better life Mat. 15.22 to 28 that man acts faith to purpose that can love a frowning God and hang upon an angry God and follow hard after a withdrawing God Psal 63.1 8. yea and trust in a killing God as here Job had his Feverish sits and his impatient slips and yet he kept up his heroical resolution to lean upon the Lord whilst he had but one minute to live and this speaks out not only the truth but also the strength of Job's faith in the midst of his extraordinary combats when the soul is peremptorily and habitually resolved to cleave to the person of Christ and to cleave to the merits of Christ Gen. 2.24 Ruth 1.14 15 16 17. Est 4.16 and to cleave to the transactions of Christ with the Father for the salvation of sinners as the wife cleaves to her husband or as the child cleaves to the father or as Ruth cleaved to Naomi or as the Ivy cleaves to the Oak with an If I perish I perish then 't is safe then 't is happy then 't is out of the danger of hell then 't is within the Suburbs of heaven God never did nor never will cast such a man to hell whose soul is drawn forth to a secret resting saying leaning and relying alone upon Christ for the obtaining of all that good and all that glory that he has purchased and his father has promised But Lastly That man that makes it his principle care his main business his work of works to look to his heart to watch his heart and to reform his heart that man doubtless has a saving work of God upon his heart There are two things which a gracious soul most looks at his God and his heart Though a gracious man looks to the cleansing of his hands yet his principle care is the reformation of his heart the cleansing of his heart according to that of the Apostle James Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded And that of the Prophet Jeremiah James 4.8 Jer. 4.14 O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved Man must labour after a clean inside as well as a clean outside the conversation must not be only unspotted before the world but the heart also must be unspotted before God the heart is as capable of inward defilements as the body is of outward defilements 2 Cor. 7.1 O Sirs though heart-defilement is least taken notice of yet heart-defilement is the worst defilement and the most dangerous defilement in the world heart-defilement is spiritual defilement Eph. 6.12 Vide â—â—za and spiritual defilement is the defilement of divels which of all defilement is the most hateful odious and pernicious defilement The hypocrites only care is to keep his life from defilement but the sincere Christians care is mainly to keep his heart from defilement for he very well knows that if he can but keep his heart clean he shall with more ease keep his life clean if the fountain be kept pure the streams will run pure The heart is the spring of all actions and therefore every action is as the spring is from whence it flows if the spring be good the action is good that flows from it if the spring be evil the action is evil that flows from it Mâ—â— 2.35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things Certainly the great work of a Christian lieth with his heart the reformation of the heart is the highest and choicest part of reformation Prov 23.26 because it is the reformation of the noblest part of man and is that which God looks most after The reformation of the heart is indeed the heart of reformation there is nothing reformed to purpose till the heart be reformed if the heart be naught all is naught if that be very naught all is very naught if that be stark naught all is stark naught but if that be reformed all is reformed A gracious man's watch is mainly about his heart Create in me a clean heart Psal 51.10 Psal 86.11 Psal 119.36 Psal 119 80. Psal 27.8 See Psal 119.2 Acts 8 37. Heb. 8.10 Jer. 31 33. O God and renew a right spirit within me Unite my heart to fear thy name Incline my heart unto thy testimonies Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed When thou saidest seek my face my heart answered Thy face Lord will I seek Psal 119.10 With my whole heart have I sought thee Ver. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not unto covetousness Rom. 1.9 The heart of man is the fountain of life or death and therefore sin in the heart in some respects is worse and more dangerous than sin in the life and hence 't is that the sincere Christian doubles his guard about his heart Luther hit it when he said I more fear what is within me than what comes from without the storms and winds without do never move the earth 't is only vapours within that causeth earth-quakes as Philosophers observe Mat. 23 25-30 Hypocrites as our Saviour testifies are all for the outside they wash the platters and the cups and beautifie the tombs like an adulteress whose care is to paint and set a fair face upon a foul matter but now a sincere Christian Psal 50.23 though he has a special respect to the well-ordering of his life yet his main business and work is about his heart O that this ignorant heart were but more enlightned O that this proud heart were but more humble O that this prophane heart were but more holy O that this earthly heart were but more heavenly O that this unbelieving heart were but more believing O that this passionate heart were but more meek O that this carnal heart were but more spiritual O that this luke-warm heart were but more zealous for God and Christ and the Gospel and the great concernments of eternity O that this slight heart were but more serious O that this dull heart were but more quickned O that this dead heart were but more enlivened c. The highest and hardest work of a Christian lieth with his heart Mark common light common conviction education enforcement of conscience principles of common honesty and morality the eye of man the fear of man the examples of man the laws of man and
the doctrine of Repentance at large but only to speak so far of it as may speak it out to be evidential of the goodness and happiness of a Christians spiritual and eternal condition NOw before I come to open my self more particularly give me leave to premise this in the general viz. That there is a repentance that does accompany salvation 2 Cor. 7.10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death Jer. 4.14 O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved Acts 11.18 When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life Mat. 18.3 And Jesus said verily I say unto you except you be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Having premised thus much in the general give me now leave to say That there are three parts of true sound saving repentance unto all which forgiveness of sin is promised And the First is contrition or grief of heart for sins committed Now this is called sometimes godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 and sometimes a contrite spirit Isa 66.2 and sometimes a broken and contrite heart Psal 51.17 and sometimes the afflicting of our souls Levit. 16.29 and sometimes the humbling of the heart 2 Chron. 7.14 Lamen 3.20 and sometimes a mourning Zech. 12.10 and sometimes a weeping Mark 14.72 All repenting sinners are mourning sinners David repents and waters his couch with his tears Psal 6.6 Hezekiah repents and humbles himself for the pride of his heart 2 Chron. 32.26 Ephraim repents and Ephraim bemoans himself and smites upon his thigh and is even confounded Jer. 31.18 19. Mary Magdalen repents and weeps and washes Christs feet with her tears Luke 7.38 The Corinthians repented and they were made sorry after a godly manner 2 Cor. 7.9 Repentance in the Hebrew is called Nacham an irking of the soul and in Greek Metamelia after grief and Metanoia after wit and in the Latine Poenitentia All which do import that contrition or sorrow for sin is one part of true repentance O! the sighs the groans the sobs the tears that are to be found among repenting sinners Luth. Tom. 3.457 c. Luther hit the Mark when he said What are all the Palaces of the world to a contrite heart yea heaven and earth seeing it is the seat of divine Majesty Secondly 'T is very observable that all mourning persons for their sins are within the compass of the promise of forgiveness of sins Zech. 12.11 In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo Zech. 13.1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Jer. 31.18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning of himself c. Ver. 20. I will surely have mercy on him or as the Hebrew has it I will having mercy have mercy on him As soon as Ephraims heart is troubled for his sins Gods bowels are troubled for Ephraim as soon as Ephraim like a penitent child falls a weeping at God's foot God like a tender indulgent father falls a bemoaning of Ephraim Ephraim could not refrain from tears and God could not refrain from opening his bowels of mercy towards him So Isa 57.15 And how can the contrite heart be indeed revived and cheered without forgiveness of sins without a pardon in the bosom Melancthon makes mention of a godly woman who having upon her death-bed been in much conflict and afterwards much comforted brake out into these words Now and not till now did I understand the meaning of these words Thy sins are forgiven There is no comfort to that which arises from the sense of forgiveness Isa 40.1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her iniquities are pardoned And why is the mourning soul pronounced the blessed soul Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted but because the mourning soul is the pardoned soul But what is that sorrow or mourning for sin Qu. that is a part of true repentance The resolution of this question is very necessary for the preventing of all soul-deceits and mistakes and for the quieting setling and satisfying of souls truly penitent and therefore I shall give these eight following Answers to it First It is a sorrow or grief that is spiritual that is supernatural no man is born with godly sorrow in his heart as he is born with a tongue in his mouth Godly sorrow is a plant of God's own planting 't is a seed of his own sowing 't is a flower of his own setting 't is of a heavenly off-spring 't is from God and God alone The spirit of mourning is from above 't is from a supernatural power and principle there is nothing that can turn a heart of stone into flesh but the spirit of God Ezek. 36.25 26. Godly sorrow is a gift from God Job 23.16 God makes my heart soft No hand but a divine hand can make the heart soft and tender under the sight and sense of sin Nature may easily work a man to mourn and melt and weep under worldly losses crosses and miseries as it did David's men 1 Sam. 30.4 But it must be grace it must be a supernatural principle that must work the heart to mourn for sin Secondly godly sorrow is a sorrow for sin as sin 't is a mourning rather for sin than for smart 't is not so much for loss of goods lands wife child credit name c. but for that a holy God is offended a righteous Law violated Christ dishonoured the Spirit grieved and the Gospel blemished c. Peter's sorrow was godly but Judas his sorrow was worldly Peter mourns over the evil of sin but Judas mourns over the evil of punishment David mourns over his sin Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight Psal 51.4 And so 2 Sam. 24.10 And David's heart smote him after he had numbred the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done and now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done foolishly David does not cry out take away the threatned famine but take away the iniquity of thy servant nor he does not cry out take away the enemies of thy servant but take away the iniquity of thy servant nor he does not say take away the pestilence from the Land but take away the iniquity of thy servant But now when Pharaoh was under judgments he never cryes to the Lord to take away his sins
I restore him fourfold Thus you see that true penitents make a particular confession of their right eye sins and of their right hand sins and indeed what is confession of sin but a setting our sins in order before the Lord and how can this be done but by a distinct and particular enumeration of them But to prevent mistakes this must be taken with a grain of salt this must be understood with this limitation we are to confess our sins distinctly particularly so far as we know them so far as we are acquainted with them There are many thousand sins which we commit that we know not to be sins and there are many thousand sins committed by us that can't be remembred by us Now certainly it is impossible for us to recount or confess those sins that we know not that we remember not so that our particular confessions can only reach to known sins so far as we can call them to mind for indeed our particular acts of sin are innumerable they are more in number than the hairs of our head and indeed we are as well able to tell the stairs of heaven and to number the sands of the Sea and to recount all the sparing mercies the pitying mercies the preventing mercies the succouring mercies the supporting mercies and the delivering mercies of God as we are able to tell to number to recount the individual particular acts of sin that we are guilty of yet so far as the knowledge and memory of a penitent Christian reaches so far his confession reaches But now wicked men confess sin in the general in the lump as Tharaoh I have sinned and their conâ—essions are commonly confused and at random When and where do you find wicked men confessing their sins distinctly or particularly before God or man this is none of the least of their miseries that they have not a clear distinct particular view of their own corruptions and abominations But Fifthly The true penitent does not only distinctly and particularly confess his sins but he does very highly aggravate his sins Psal 32.5 Levit. 16.21 by confessing not only the kinds and acts so far as he knows and remembers them but the circumstances of them also There are sometimes some circumstances that may somewhat lessen a penitent mans sins now these he readily and easily passes over but then there are other circumstances which do exceedingly heighten and aggravate his sins and that makes them more hainous and dangerous and these he carefully and faithfully acknowledges The penitential confessions recorded in the old and new Testament are full of exaggerating expressions as is evident in these instances Ezra at once heightens and aggravates their sins by this circumstance that they had been committed against manifold experiments that they had had both of the severity and also of the mercy of the Lord Ezra 9. and so does Nehemiah also Neh. 9. The like instance you have in Daniel Chap. 9. 5 6. We have sinned and have committed iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the Prophets which spake in thy Name to our Kings our Princes and our Fathers and to all the people of the Land In these words you have seven circumstances that Daniel useth in confessing of his and the peoples sins and all to heighten and to aggravate them First We have sinned Secondly We have committed iniquity Thirdly We have done wickedly Fourthly We have rebelled against thee Fifthly We have departed from thy percepts Sixthly We have not hearkened unto thy servants Seventhly Nor our Princes nor all the people of the Land These seven aggravations which Daniel reckons up in his confession are worthy of our most serious consideration The same spirit you may find working in Peter Mark 14.72 When he thought thereon be wept or neerer the Original When he cast all these things one upon another he wept Ah wretch that ever I was born that ever I should deny the Lord that bought me that ever I should deny him who hath not only externally but also internally called me that ever I should deny him that made me an Apostle that fed me at his table that beautified me with his grace and that in the Mount shew'd me some glimpses of his glory that ever I should deny him who has brought me out of a state of death and wrath into a state of life and love that ever I should deny him that has been the best the wisest the holiest the tenderest the faithfullest and the noblest Master that ever man served Ah wretch that I am he forewarned me of this sin before-hand that I might be not only cautioned but armed against it and yet I denied him I promised him before-hand that I would never deny him that I would never forsake him that I would never turn my back upon him and yet like a base coward I have denied the captain of my salvation yea this very night and no longer ago did I say again and again that I would not deny him and yet now even now I have most shamefully denied him yea I told him that though all others should deny him yet would not I deny him and yet in all the world there is not such another to be found that has so sadly so desperately denied him as I have denied him and that before a silly Maid nay more beast that I am to my denying of him I have added a most incredible lye saying I know not the man when there was not a man in all the world that I was so well acquainted with as I was with Christ feeding constantly at his table There was scarce any Jew which knew not Christ by sight he being very famous for the many miracles that were wrote by him and drinking constantly of his cup and living constantly upon his purse and waiting constantly upon his person and being a constant eye-witness of all the famous miracles that were wrought by him nay yet more monster that I am I did not only lye but I also bound that lye with an hideous Oath I did not only say that I knew not the man but I also swore I knew not the man nay yet more than all this I did not only basely deny him I did not only tell an incredible lye against my own light and conscience I did not only bind a fearful lye with a hideous oath but I also fell a cursing and damning of my self for so much the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports I wisht that the curse the wrath or vengeance of God might fall upon me if I knew the man I wisht my self separated from the presence and glory of God if I knew the man And wo and alas to me all this I did when my Lord and Master was neer me yea when he was upon his trial yea and yet more when all the world had forsaken him yea and yet more
Exod. 23.7 Prov. 22.3 27.12 Prov. 5.8 and commonly lyes warm upon a penitent man's heart so that take him in his ordinary course and you shall find him very ready to shun and be shie of the very appearances of sin of the very shews and shadows of sin Job made a covenant with his eyes Job 31.1 and Joseph would not hearken to his bold tempting Mistris to lye by her or to be with her Gen. 39.10 and David when himself would not sit with vain persons Psal 26.3 4 5. 2 Sam. 24.20 ult and at another time he refused to take the threshing floor Oxen and threshing instruments of Araunah as a gift but would buy them because he would avoid the very shew of covetousness as some conceive Austin being often ensnared in uncleanness in his younger dayes before his conversion he was exceeding careful to avoid all occasions of it afterwards Now a true penitential turning from all sin lyes in these six things and therefore you had need look about you for if there be any one way of wickedness wherein you walk and which you are resolved you will not forsake you are no true penitents and you will certainly lose your souls and all the great and glorious things of another world The third Answer Ans 3 Thirdly A true penitential turning is a constant and continued turning from sin 2 Chron 7.15 As it is total in respect of the act so it is final in respect of the time True repentance takes an everlasting farewel an everlasting adieu of sin it saith with the Spouse Cant. 5.3 I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I have found the smart of sin I have put off the garments of the old man the rags of old Adam and how shall I put them on again The burnt child will dread the fire The man that hath smarted for Suretyship will by no means be perswaded to come again into bonds though you urge him to it never so frequently never so strongly never so rhetorically yet he will tell you he has smarted for it he has paid dear for it and therefore you must excuse him he is peremptorily resolved nay he hath seriously vowed against it and though he be never so much intreated and by variety of arguments importuned yet still he remains inexorable A Christian that hath truly repented is so sensible of the freeness and sweetness of the grace of God on the one hand and of the weight of sin and wrath of God on the other hand that he is highly resolved never to have any more to do with Idols Psal 40.12 Hos 14.8 never to meddle more with those burning coals True repentance is a continued act a repentance never to be repented of The true penitent is every day a turning further and further from sin and neerer and neerer to God There is nothing that fetches so many tears from a penitent man's eyes nor so many sighs and groans from a penitent man's heart as this that he can get no further off from sin and that he can get no neerer nor no closser to God Repentance for sin and a willing continuance in sin cannot consist in the same subject A sincere penitent makes as much conscience of repenting daily as he doth of believing daily and he can as easily content himself with one act of faith or love or fear or hope or joy or obedience as he can content himself with one act of repentance My sins are ever before me Psal 51.3 This is the voice of every true penitent Oh that I might sin no more Oh that I might never dishonour God more Oh that I might never walk contrary to Jesus Christ more Oh that I might never grieve the spirit of grace more To sin is common to man 1 John 1.8 10. 5.19 Isa 28.15 18. Psal 139.24 Rom. 7.22 23. yea to the best man in all the world but to continue in a course of sin is only proper to a wicked man To err and fail that 's humane but to maintain a league or friendship with sin that is diabolical Though a true penitent dares not continue in a trade a path of sin whilst he lives in this world yet sin will continue in him whilst he continues in this world though sin and grace were not born together and though sin and grace shall never die together yet whilst a penitent man lives in this world they must live together 'T is one thing for sin to continue in us and 't is another thing for us to continue in sin The Apostle having closed the fifth Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans in the triumph of Gospel grace That as sin hath reigned unto death so grace might reign through righteousness â—nto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6.1 2. begins the next with a prevention of the abuse of this grace What shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein To live in sin in the face of Gospel-grace is most unreasonable and to a gracious and ingenious nature impossible the very question implyes a kind of impossibility Such as were once dead in sin and now by Gospel-grace are dead to sin such can no longer continue in sin Look as 't is not the meer falling into the water that drowns a man but his lying and continuing in it so it is not a meer falling into sin that damns a man that drowns a man that everlastingly undoes a man but his living in it his continuing in it It is bad to sin but 't is infinitely worse to continue in sin The first best is not to sin the next best is not to continue in sin no not for an hour as Paul speaks in another case Gal. 2.5 To whom we gave place by subjection no not for an hour Certainly to argue from Gospel-mercy to sinful liberty is the Devil's Logick The more a man lives in the sight of Gospel-grace the more sin will be discountenanced resisted hated and totally displaced A man may as truly assert that the Sea burns or that the fire cools or that the Sun darkens the Air as he may assert that the sight sense or sweet of Gospel-grace will breed security or carnality loosness or wickedness in a gracious heart The true penitent never ceases repenting till he ceases living he goes to heaven with the joyful tears of repentance in his eyes he knows that his whole life is but a day of sowing tears that he may at last reap everlasting joyes True repentance makes a final and everlasting separation between sin and the soul it makes such an absolute and compleat divorce between sin and the soul and casts them so far asunder that no power nor policy can ever bring them to meet as lovers together The true penitent looks upon sin as an enemy and deals with it as Amnon dealt with Tamar 2
say I hate every false way but a sincere Christian he hates all sinful wayes but his own first and most 1 Kings 5.18 an upright heart leaves no nest-egg for Satan to sit on but the hypocrite alwayes does Mark in true hatred there are six things observable First True hatred includes an extream detestation every dislike is not hatred but true hatred is an extream loathing Thou shalt cast them away as a menstrous cloth Isa 30.22 thou shalt say unto it Get thee hence Chap. 2.20 In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver and his idols of gold which they made each one for himself to worship to the Moles and to the Bats Their detestation should be so great that they should cast their most costly idols of silver and gold into the most dark nasty dusty corners to testifie the sincerity of their conversion to God they should hate and abhor abandon and abolish their gold and silver idols which they valued above all others Secondly True hatred includes an earnest separation He that hates his sin would fain be separated from his sin 2 Cor. 5.4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burdened A sincere Christian finds no burden to lay so heavy and weighty upon his spirit as sin and therefore he groans to be delivered from it In the Law Deut. 24.3 he that hated his Wife did sue out a bill of divorce from her He that truly hates sin puts in many a bill into the Court of Heaven that he may be for ever divorced from his sin Thirdly True hatred includes an irreconcilable alienation He that hates sin has his heart for ever alienated from sin he who hates sin can never be one with sin Two angry men may be made friends Lawyers often fall out at the Bar but are very well agreed when they meet at the Tavern but if two men hate each other all friendship is everlastingly broken betwixt them A man may be angry with sin and yet made friends with sin again but if once he comes to hate his sin then all friendship with sin is everlastingly broken When Christ and the soul comes to be really one then sin and the soul comes to be everlastingly two c. Fourthly True hatred includes a constant and perpetual conflict the flesh will be still lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Gal. 5.17 Rom. 7.22 23. Though sin and grace were not born together and though sin and grace shall never die together yet whilst a believer lives in this world they must live together and whilst sin and grace do cohabit together they will still be opposing and conflicting one with another That man that truly hates sin will everlastingly conflict with sin he will die fighting against his sins as one of the Dukes of Venice died fighting against his enemies with his weapons in his hand Well Christians remember this Though to be kept from sin brings most peace and comfort to us yet for us to oppose sin and for God to pardon sin that brings most glory to God 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. Fifthly True hatred includes a deadly intention and destruction for nothing satisfies hatred but death and ruin Saul hated David 1 Sam. 26.19 20. 1 Sam. 23.23 Est 5.14 and sought his life he hunted him up and down as a Partridge in the mountains he left no stone unturn'd nor no means unattempted whereby he might revenge himself upon David Haman hated Mordecai and nothing would satisfie him but to bring him to a shameful death to see him hang'd on a gallows fifty cubits high which was design'd saith Lyra to put Mordecai to the greater shame for he hanging hâ—gh every one might see him and point to him Now when there was but one night betwixt Mordecai and a shameful death divine providence opportunely strook in and saved hâ—m from Haman's malice and caused the mischief which he had plotted against Mordecai suddenly to fall upon his own pate for he who was highly feasted with the King one day 2 Sam. 13.22 28 29 30 31 32 33. was made a feast for crows the next day Absalom hated Amnon and killed him Julian the Apostate hated the Christians with a deadly hatred he put many thousands of them to death and threatned and vowed that at his return from fighting against the Persians he would put all the Christians in his Empire to the sword but God prevented him by cutting him off in that expedition A Christian that hates sin can't be satisfied but in the death and destruction of it in all his duties the language of his soul is Lord let my sins be destroyed whoever escapes let not my sins escape the hand of thy revenging justice And in all Ordinances the language of his soul is O Lord when shall my sins be subdued and mortified when shall my cursed corruptions be brought to an under yea when shall they all be drowned in the Red-Sea of my Saviours bloud c. Sixthly True hatred includes an impartial aversation true hatred is of the whole kind but of this before To wind up all ask thy heart what is it that thou abhorrest as the superlative evil what is that which thou wouldst have separated as far from thee as heaven is from hell what is that thy heart will never renew league or friendship with any more what is that against which thy soul doth rise and with which as Israel with Amalek thou wilt have war for ever Exod. 17.16 what is that which thou wilt be avenged of and daily dost endeavour the mortifying and crucifying of what is that which thou settest thy heart against in the comprehensive latitude thereof whether great or little open or secret if it be sin if it be thy sins if it be all thy sins then assuredly here is a true hatred of sin and assuredly here is a most distinguishing character of a child of God of a sound conversion and of a saving change It was not wont to be thus with thee nor is this findable in any hypocrite Judg. 14.3 7. or in any unconverted person upon the face of the earth 2 Sam. 13.15 sin was once to thee as Dalilah to Sampson but now it is to thee as Tamar to Amnon Job 20.12 13. once it was a sweet morsel which thou heldst fast and wouldst not let it go Isa 30.22 but now it is the menstruous cloth which thou castest away Hos 14.8 saying Get thee hence Now with Ephraim thou cryest out What have I to do any more with Idols O if it be indeed thus with thee then thou hast cause for ever to be much in blessing and in admiring of the Lord for his distinguishing grace and favour towards thee O Sirs the world is full of baits snares and temptations but whilst the hatred of sin burns in your breasts you may cast up your caps and throw the Gantlet to the
the net the fish is caught if he obtains not the mercy then he will grow weary of his duty Thou hast been weary of me O Israel Mal. 1.13 Isa 43.22 Prayer is too hard and too high a work for an unsound heart to hold on in prayer is heart-work and that proves heavy work to him The soul of prayer lyes in the pouring out of the soul before God and this is a work that an hypocrite has no skill in 1 Sam. 1.15 It was a prophane and blasphemous speech of that Atheistical wretch that told God he was no common beggar he never troubled him before with prayer Hil. Mic. p. 376. and if he would but hear him that time he would never trouble him again Even such a spirit and such principles lye lurking in every hypocrites breast Doubtless he hit it who said How canst thou expect that God should hear thee Cyprian de oratione Dominica Psal 116.1 2. Gen. 32.24 to ver 29. Hos 12.3 4. Mat. 15.22 to ver 28. when thou wilt not hear thy self or that God should give thee a return in prayer when thou art not mindful what thou askest in prayer But now a sincere Christian he will go on in prayer speed or not speed if he prevails he will love prayer the better all his dayes if he don't for the present prevail he will be so much the more importunate with God in prayer 'T is as natural for a bird to live without Air and for a fish to live without water and for a man to live without food as 't is for a sincere heart to live without prayer O saith Chrysostom it is more bitter than death to be spoyled of prayer Dan. 6. Prayer is porta coeli clavis paradisi the seat of heaven a key to let us into paradise And hereupon as he observes Daniel chose rather to run the hazard of his life than to lose or give over his private prayers Prayer is the key of heaven and a sincere Christian loves much to be a handling of that key though he should dye for it As that Emperor said Oportet Imperatorem stantem mori It behoves an Emperor to dye standing So may I say Oportet Christianum mori praecantem It behoves a Christian to dye praying An hypocrite will never hold out to the end let but outward incouragements fail him and his heart will quickly fail him in a way of duty Hypocrites are like blazing Stars which so long as they are fed with vapours shine as if they were fixed Stars but let the vapours dry up and presently they vanish and disappear let but the eye the ear the applause of men fail the hypocrite and he will be ready to throw up all 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. 2 Tim. 4.10 If an hypocrite can't make some gain of his godliness some profit of his profession some advantage of his Religion he will be ready with Demas to turn his back upon all religious duties and services Look as a lame horse when he is heated will go well enough but when he cools will halt down right even so an hypocrite though for a time he may go on fairly in his way yet in the end he will halt down right bid farewel if not defiance to all religious duties and services Profit and applause are usually the baits that hypocrites bite at and if they miss these baits then farewel profession farewel Religion farewel all John 6.66 From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him Many hypocrites who had given up their names to Christ and who for a time had been followers of Christ at last deserted him and turned their backâ— for ever upon him Mat. 13.5 Some fall upon stony places where they had not much earth not much care to receive not much understanding to apprehend not much faith to believe not much will to obey or not much love to retain it and forthwith they sprung up because they had no deepness of earth Ver 6. And when the Sun was up they were scorched and because they had no root they withered away This second ground goes beyond the former For 1. It receives the seed 2. Incontinently 3. With joy 4. It brings up the seed sown it sprung up to sundry degrees 1. To external obedience and reformation in many things 2. To an outward profession 3. To a kind of faith but when the Sun of persecution beat hot upon them they withered and fell away not all at once but by little and little as a leaf loseth his greeness and flourish and withers by degrees In the Palatinate when the Sun of persecution began to scorch them scarce one Professor of twenty stood out but fell to Popery as fast as leaves in Autumn The Chrystal looks like pearl till it comes to the hammering so an hypocrite looks like a Christian and in many things acts like a Christian till he comes to be hammered by sufferings by persecutions and then he discovers himself in his colours and with Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1.19 20. Hos 5.2 he makes shipwrack of faith and a good conscience In suffering times hypocrites labour mightily to put out that light which shines in their bosoms and when they have quencht that light then farewel faith farewel profession farewel a good conscience farewel all The wolf though he often dissembles and clossly hides his nature yet he can't alwayes do so for at one time or other he will shew himself to be a Wolf So though an hypocrite may carry it clossly for a time yet he will one time or other discover himself to be an hypocrite It is reported of the waters of Nilus that having run many hundred of miles a pure and clear water when it comes near the Mediterranean Sea it begins to grow brackish and salt and at last it falls into the Sea and loseth its name Sooner or later this will be the case of all hypocrites they won't retain their spiritual fairness clearness and sweetness long but by degrees will grow brackish and salt and lose their names and all that seeming goodness and sweetness that once seemed to be in them But now a sincere Christian he will hold on and hold out in the wayes of the Lord in the want of all outward incouragements and in the face of all multiplyed discouragements When the eye of men the favour of men the bounty of men and all other encouragement from men fails yet then a sincere Christian will hold up and hold on in his work and way Job 17.9 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger The righteous man shall go on in a way of righteouss to the end no multiplyed calamities or miseries shall ever work him to decline the way of righteousness From this way a sincere Christian will never be withdrawn either by any hopes or advantages on the one hand or
sense of his integrity and the evidence he had of his own uprightness his own righteousness Job 27.5 Till I die I will not remove my integrity from me Ver. 6. My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live Job was under great afflictions sore temptations and deep desertions now that which was his cordial his bulwark in those sad times was the sense and feeling of his own uprightness his own righteousness the sense and feeling of the grace of God in him kept him from fainting and sinking under all his troubles So 1 Joh. 2.3 Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his commandments c. In these words two things are observable First that where there is a true knowledge of Christ there is an observation of his commandements Secondly that by this observation of his royal Law we may know that our knowledge is sound and sincere He speaks not of a legal but of an evangelical keeping of his commandements A conscionable and serious endeavour to walk in a holy course of life according to God's will revealed in his Word is a most certain mark or evidence that we have a saving knowledge of God and that we are his children and heirs of glory Such who sincerely desire and unfeignedly purpose and firmly resolve and faithfully endeavour to keep the commandements of God these do keep the commandements of God evangelically and acceptably in the eye of God the account of God So ver 6. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked Here you may observe two things First that by faith we are implanted into Christ Secondly that we discover our implantation into Christ by our imitation of Christ Such as plead for sanctification a an evidence of justification don't make their graces causes of their implantation into Christ or of their justification before the throne of Christ but they make them testimonies and witnesses to declare the truth of their real implantation into Christ and of their being justified before the throne of Christ So 1 Joh. 3.14 We know we are translated from death to life because we love the brethren The Apostle makes this a great sign of godliness to love another godly man for godliness sake and the more godly he is the more to love him and to delight in him Now mark this love of our brethren is not a cause of our translation from death to life for the very word translated supposeth such a grace such a favour of God as is without us but a sign of our translation from death to life But of this I have said enough already as you may see if you will but read from page 189. to page 200. of this Book But The most ordinary and safe way of coming to assurance is the discoursive way in which a believer from the fruits and effects of grace infers he hath the habit and from the habit concludes his jâ—stification adoption and as this is a way least subject to delusion so it is also most suited to a rational creature whose way of acting is by discourse and argumentation The sixth Proposition is this There are many scores of precious promises made over to them that believe to them that trust in the Lord to them that set him up as the great object of their fear to them that love him to them that delight in him to them that obey him to them that walk with him to them that thirst after him to them that suffer for him to them that follow after him c. Now all these scores of promises are made for the support comfort and encouragement of all such Christians whose souls are bespangled with grace But now if we may not lawfully come to the knowledge of our faith love fear delight obedience c. in a discoursive way arguing from the effect to the cause What support what comfort what advantage shall a sincere Christian have by all those scores of promissory places of Scripture Doubtless all those scores of promises would be as so many Suns without light as so many springs without water as so many breasts without milk and as so many bodies without souls to all gracious Christians were it not lawful for them to form up such a practical syllogism as this is viz. The Scripture doth plainly and fully declare that he that believeth feareth loveth obeyeth c. is blessed and shall be happy for ever But I am such a one that doth believe fear love obey c. therefore I am blessed and shall be happy for ever Now although it must be granted that the major of this Proposition is Scripture yet the assumption is from experience and therefore a godly man being assisted therein by the holy Ghost may safely draw the conclusion as undeniable O that you would seriously consider how little would be the difference should you shut out this discoursive way betwixt a man and a beast if a man should assent to a thing unknown through an instinct and impression and should to one who asks him a reason of his perswasion be able to return no other answer but this I am perswaded because I am perswaded But The seventh Proposition is this That the Scripture giveth many signs and symptoms of grace so that if a man cannot find all yet if he discover some yea but one he may safely conclude that all the rest are there he who hath but one in truth of the forementioned characters in this book hath seminally all he who hath one link of the golden chain hath the whole chain Look as he who hath one grace in truth hath every grace in truth though he doth not see every grace shining in his soul so he that hath in truth any one evidence of grace in his soul he hath virtually all And O that all weak dark doubting Christians would seriously and frequently ponder upon this Proposition for it may be a staff to uphold them and a cordial to comfort them under all their fears and faintings But The eighth Proposition is this Without the light of the holy Ghost our graces shine not our graces are only the means by which our condition is known to us Rom. 9.2 the efficient cause of this knowledge is the Spirit illustrating our graces and making them visible and so helping us to conclude from them 1 Cor. 2.12 Now 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 to us of God Our graces our sanctification as well as our election vocation justification and glorification are freely given to us of God and the Spirit of God is given as well to discover the one as the other to us Mark the things freely given us may be received by us and yet the receit of them not known to us therefore the Spirit for our further
with those who say it is an Hebraism the plural righteousnesses noting that most perfect compleat absolute righteousness which Christ is pleased to put upon his people Upon the account of this righteousness of Christ the Church is said to be without spot or wrinkle Eph. 5.27 and to be all fair Thou art all fair my love Cant. 4.7 Col. 2.10 there is no spot in thee And to be compleat And ye are compleat in him which is the head of all principality â—nd power Rev. 14.5 And to be without fault They are without fault before the throne of God And so Col. 1.21 And to present us holy and unblamable and unreprovable in the sight of God But Fourthly This righteousness of Christ will answer to all the fears doubts and objections of your souls How shall I look up to God the Answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I have any communion with a holy God in this world the Answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I find acceptance with God the Answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I dye the Answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I stand before a Judgment-seat the Answer is in the righteousness of Christ Your sure and only way under all temptations fears conflicts doubts and disputes is by faith to remember Christ That was a rare speech of Luther Ipsâ— videret ubi anima mea mansura sit qui pro ea sic solicitus fuit ut vitam pro ea posuerit let him see to it where my soul shall rest who took so much care for it as that he laid down his life for it and the sufferings of Christ as your Mediator and Surety and say O Christ thou art my sin in being made sin for me and thou art my curse in being made a curse for me or rather I am thy sin and thou art my righteousness I am thy curse and thou art my blessing I am thy death and thou art my life I am the wrath of God to thee and thou art the love of God to me I am thy hell and thou art my heaven O Sirs if you think of your sins and of God's wrath if you think of your guiltiness and of God's justice your hearts will fail you and sink into despair if you don't think of Christ if you don't rest and stay your souls upon the Mediatory righteousness of Christ But Fifthly and lastly The righteousness of Christ is the best title that you have to shew for a Kingdom that shakes not Heb. 12.28 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. 2 Cor. 5.1 2 3 4. for riches that corrupt not for an inheritance that fadeth not away and for an house not made with hands but one eternal in the heavens The righteousness of Christ is your life your joy your comfort your crown your confidence your heaven your all and therefore whether your graces or gracious evidences do sparkle and shine or are clouded or blotted yet still keep a fixed eye and an awakned heart upon the Mediatory righteousness of Jesus Christ for that 's the righteousness by which you may happily live comfortably die and boldly appear before a Judgment-seat But The third Royal Fort that Christians should have their eyes their hearts fixed upon whether their graces or gracious evidences sparkle and shine or are obscured and clouded is the Covenant of grace The Covenant of grace is a new compact or agreement which God hath made with sinful man out of his own meer mercy and grace Deut. 4.23 Isa 55.3 54.7 8 9 10. Jer. 31.31 Psal 50.5 c. Hos 14.4 Tit. 3.6 Eph. 1.5 6 7. Chap. 2.5 7 8. Rom. 9.18 23. Jer. 32.38 39 40 41. Ezek. 36.25 26 27. wherein he undertakes both for himself and for faln man wherein he engages himself to make faln man everlastingly happy All mankind had been eternally lost and God had lost all the glory of his mercy for ever had he not of his own free-grace and mercy made such an agreement with sinful man This Covenant is called a Covenant of grace because it flows from the meer grace and mercy of God There was nothing out of God nor nothing in God but his meer mercy and grace that moved him to enter into Covenant with poor sinners In the Covenant of grace there are two things considerable First the Covenant that God makes for himself to us which consists of these Branches 1. That he will be our God 2. That he will give us a new heart a new spirit 3. That he will not turn away his face from us from doing of us good 4. That he will put his fear into our hearts 5. That he will cleanse us from all our filthiness and from all our Idols 6. That he will rejoyce over us to do us good Secondly here is the Covenant which God doth make for us to himself which consists in these things 1. That we shall be his people 2. That we shall fear him for ever 3. That we shall walk in his Statutes keep his Judgments and do them 4. That we shall not depart from him Upon many accounts I may not enlarge on these things but by these short hints 't is evident that the Covenant of grace is an entire Covenant made by God both for himself and for us O Sirs in the Covenant of grace God stands engaged to give whatsoever he requires 1 Chron. 28.9 First He requires us to know him and he has engaged himself that we shall know him Jer. 24.7 I will give them a heart to know me that I am the Lord. And Jer. 31.34 They shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them Heb. 8.11 But Secondly The Lord frequently requires his people to trust in him Psal 62.8 Isa 26.4 2 Chron. 20.20 And he has engaged himself that his people shall trust in him Zeph. 3.12 I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. But Thirdly The Lord frequently commands his people to fear him Deut. 6.13 Chap. 8.6 And he has engaged himself that they shall fear him Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Hos 3.5 They shall fear the Lord and his goodness But Fourthly The Lord frequently commands his people to love him Deut. 11.1 Psal 31.23 O love the Lord all ye his Saints And he has promised and engaged himself that his people shall love him Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul But Fifthly The Lord frequently commands his people to call upon him and to pray unto him Psal 50.15 1 Thes 5.17 c. And he has promised and engaged himself to pour upon them a spirit of prayer Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon the house of
wanting to relieve a people so that must needs be a well ordered Covenant where there is nothing wanting to govern poor souls or to relieve poor souls or to save poor souls and such a Covenant is the Covenant of grace And sure the Covenant of grace is a sure Covenant Jer. 31.31 33 35 36 37. Psal 19.7 Rev. 3.14 Isa 54.10 Deut. 7.9 The Lord thy God he is God the faithful God or the God of Amen which keepeth Covenant with them that love him Psal 89.33 My Covenant will I not break Hebrew I will not prophane nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips All God's precepts all God's predictions all God's menaces and all God's promises are the issue of a most just faithful and righteous will God can neither dye nor lye Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began There are three things that God can't do 1. He can't dye Nor 2. He can't lye Nor 3. He can't deny himself Josh 23.14 And behold this day I am going the way of all the earth and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all are come to passe unto you and not one thing hath failed thereof O Sirs the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon God's everlasting love John 13.1 upon Gods unchangable love upon God's free love whom God loves once he loves for ever Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love God can as well cease to be as he can cease to love those whom he has taken into Covenant with himself And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon God's everlasting love so 't is bottomed upon Gods immutable counsel Heb. 6.17 God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the immutable counsel of God so it is bottomed upon the free purpose of God 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God standeth sure that is the decree and purpose of God's election stands firm and sure Now the purpose of God's election is compared to a foundation because it is that upon which all our happiness and blessedness is built and bottomed and because as a foundation it abides firm and sure And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the free purpose of God so 't is bottomed upon the glorious power of God The power of God is an infinite power Isa 33.11 Isa 41.2 Mal. 4.1 1 Cor. 1.25 it is a supream power a power that overtops the power of all mortals What 's the stubble to the flames the chaff to the whirlwind no more is all created power to the power of God The weakness of God is stronger than men and did not Pharaoh find it so and Haman find it so and Sennacherib find it so and Nebuchadnezzar find it so and Belshazzar find it so and Herod find it so In all the ages of the world the power of God hath bore down all before it the power of God is an independant power a matchless power an incomparable power an enduring power an eternal power And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the power of God Heb. 6.17 18 Psal 89.34 35. so it is bottomed upon the oath of God Luke 1.72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy Covenant Ver. 73. The oath which he sware to our father Abraham To think that God will break his oath or be perjured is an intollerable blasphemy Once more give me leave to say the Covenant of grace is bottomed not only upon the oath of God but also upon the precious blood of Christ The blood of Christ is called the blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 Mat. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Heb. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the fiâ—st Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Ver. 17. A Testament is of force after men are dead It is called a Covenant and a Testament 1. A Covenant in respect of God and a Testament in respect of Christ 2. A Covenant in respect of the manner of agreement and a Testament in respect of the manner of confirming Jesus Christ died as a Testator and by his death confirmed the Testamentary gift before made of Life and Salvation Now the Covenant of grace being thus gloriously bottomed as you seâ— it must roundly and undeniably follow that thâ— Covenant of grace is a sure Covenant For this is all my salvation and all my desire i. e. This is the great ground of all my hope concerning my salvation and of all the happiness and blessedness which I look for in another world This everlasting Covenant this sure Covenant is the great Charter of Charters that I have to shew for eternal bliss David was drawing neer to his eternal home and whether his graces and gracious evidences for heavens happiness were bright and shining or blotted and clouded I shall not at this time stand to enquire it is enough that he stayes his soul upon the Covenant of grace and that he comforts and solaces his soul in the Covenant of grace And O that all Christians when their graces and gracious evidences are either clouded or blotted or else sparkling and shining that they would frequently eye these three royal Forts viz. 1. The free-grace and favour of God 2. The Mediatory righteousness of Christ 3. The Covenant of grace Now that I may the more effectually prevail with you to look upon these royal Forts and to delight in these royal Forts and to prize these royal Forts and to improve these royal Forts Give me leave to offer these three things briefly to your consideration First Our best graces and performances are not commensurate and square payment in the eyes of pure justice all of them as inherent in us and acted by us are but imperfect excellencies No man hath so much grace and holiness as is required nor doth he so much as he is obliged to do Every particular grace though it be of an heavenly and divine original yet it is like the Stars twinkling though placed in the heavens so that if God should enter into judgment with the most righteous person even the righteousness that is in him Psal 143.2 Job 14.3 4. Rom. 3.20 would not be safety and defence unto him for what a deal of pride have we mixt with a little humility and what a deal of passion have we mixt with a little meekness and what a deal of hypocrisie have we mixt with a little sincerity and what a deal of earthly-mindedness have we