good can depart from the Church Wind blowes not away the wheat nor doth the tempest subvert the well-rooted Tree vaine chaffe is blown away with the winde invalid trees are torne up with the whirlewinde These John the Apostle execrates and smites saying They went out of us c. Hence heresies have often been and are whilest a perverse minde hath not peace whilest a discording perfidiousnesse holds not Unity CHAP. IV. Evidences or Signes of being in Light not in Darknesse in Life not in Death I. ACtuall interest in and enjoyment of Iesus Christ is an Evidence we are partakers of supernaturall and eternall life This is the Record that God hath given to us eternall life and this life is in his Sonne He that hath the Sonne hath life and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life 1 John 5. 11 12. Life is the sweetnesse of enjoyments Eternall life the best of lives that creatures can possesse Of this eternall life here are laid down 1. The Primary Fountaine of it viz. God and his free grace 2. The Mediatory Receptacle or Treasury wherein God hath seated this eternall life for us viz His Son 3. The way of conveyance of this life from Christ to us viz. By having the Sonne They have Christ that believe in him Joh. 1. 12 13. They have him not that believe not in him So they that beleeve in Christ have Christ They that have Christ and actuall interest in him have eternall life from him yea and saving light in him For 1. Christ is light John 1. 4 9. light of the world John 8. 12. Christ also is light John 5. 26. and 11. 25. and 14. 6. The Prince of life Acts 3. 15. 2. Men in their naturall Christlesse condition are dark yea darknesse itselfe Acts 26. 18. Eph. 5. 8. yea dead in sinne Eph. 2. 1. Consequently from both these they that have the Sonne which is light and life must needs have light and life Now they have the Sonne that believe in him Signes of true believing in Christ see in Chap. II. Evidence II. p. 23 to 29. Evidences of having the Sonne that we may come more closely to the expression here in the Text. Having the Sonne implies 1. A true inward Covenant-right Claim or Title to him by spirituall union to him Covenant and promises tender Christ and that upon conditions Evangelicall Ioh. 3. 16. Luk. 9. 23. Faith receives Christ tendred upon his own termes Iohn 1. 12. As Saul converted for Christ denyed himselfe and all things Phil. 3. 7 8. Took up his Crosse daily 2 Cor. 11. 23 to the end and followed Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. Now Christ being thus received Christ and the Soule are thus united Faith eates Christ and assimilates the beleever into his nature Faith unites to Christ so that he who is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. Hast thou such a Covenant-right to Christ and spirituall union to Christ 2. Hence an happy spirituall fruition or enjoyment of him by holy Commnnion with him in his Person Offices and Benefits in himselfe and all his As Cant. 2. 16. Iohn 20. 28. 2 Pet. 1. 3 4. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Rom. 8. 32. 1 Cor. 3. 20 21. Among other blessings communicated from Christ life is one Christ lives in us by faith Gal. 2. 20. Further they that have Christ have these things in and with Christ 1. They have the Spirit of Christ 1 John 4. 13. Rom. 8. 9. 2. They are become New Creatures old things are past away all things become new 2 Cor. 5. 17. 3. They have cencified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5. 24. 4. They walke not afâ—…r the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 1 2. 5. They are most obedient to Christ and his Commands Heb. 5. 9. How can he say that he hath Christ that he believes in Christ saith Cyprian that doth not what Christ commanded to be done or how shall he come to the reward of faith that keeps not the faith of the Command 3. Finally A sweet conformity to him in his Son-ship They that have the Son are consorme to the image of his Sonne that he may be the first-borne among many brethren Rom. 8. 29. Conformity to Christ is either 1. In his gracious image viz. in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4. 24. 2. In his glorious image viz. when we shall be like him in glory Phil. 3. 20. 1 John 3. 2 3. 3 In his afflicted image viz. when we suffer with him and for him Rom. 8. 17. Iohn 15. 18 to 22. and when we suffer for righteousnesse with Patience Meeknesse c. as he suffered 1 Pet. 2. 21. to the end Are we thus conforme indeed to the Son then we have the Son Jesus Christ and live by him II. Loving and not hating of our brother is another Sign we are in light not in darknesse in life not in death He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darknesse even until now He that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is no occasion of stumbling in him but he that hateth his brother is in darknesse and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darknesse hath blinded his eyes 1 John 2 9 10 11. And elsewhere We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren He that loveth not his brother abideth in death Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer And you know that no murderer hath eternall life ahiding in him 1 John 3. 14 15. In these passages the love of the brethren is made a most cleare Note of out abiding in the lighe viz. spirituall or true illumination and grace and that we have already passed from death in sinne to life supernaturall in Christ We know that we have passed c. And contrariwise the not loving or hating our brother an evident Signe that we remain still under the state and dominion of carnall sinful darkness and death Make sure of true brotherly love you are in true light and life indeed Signes of true love of the brethren See Chap. 2. Signe VII p. 168 to p. 173. and Chap. 8. throughout CHAP. V. Evidences or Signes of our true knowledg of God and of Jesus Christ The knowledge of whom is life eternall John 17. 3. I. FIrst The reall and sincere keeping of Gods Commandements evidenceth that we know God and Jesus Christ aright Hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his Commandements He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandements is a liar and the truth is not in him 1 Ioh. 43 4. This note is laid down 1. Affirmatively and 2. Negatively He that keeps his Commandements knows him yea knows that be knows him He that keeps not hiâ—… Commandements knowes him not yea he lies if be saith he knows him David concluded He had more knowledge then his enemies then the Ancients then his Teachers and all
murderers of Jesus Christ himselfe finde mercy and are converted Act. 2. 36 c. Let Heaven and Earth Men and Angels adore this mercy He pittied him that was cruel to his Saints yea he pardoned them that crucified himselfe who would despaire when Christ opens to such a doore of hope who would presume to sin and spurne against such bowels of commiserations 2. Such sins may be committed by them that have not been Evangelically illuminated Paul obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly 1 Tim. 1. 13. and had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2. 7 8 9. And properly the sin against the Holy Ghost is not committed till after the Gospel illumination Heb. 6. 3. Such Delinquents sometimes finde mercy that Christ may make them Presidents for mercy to all that after shall believe 1 Tim. 1. 16. None of all these are this sin against the Holy Ghost which we seek after yet are we not therefore to embolden our selves in them Though Treason bring the most shameful and cruel death yet felony is Capital and the easiest death is an heavy punishment and though none of these sins be that sin of sins which excludes all hope of salvation yet every one even the least of them are such sins as in their own nature deserve damnation Rom. 6. 23. Consider this thou trembling Christian thou thinkest thou hast sinned against the Holy Ghost nay stay the Lord hath thus farre kept thee from many of these recited evils and Questionlesse the sin against the Holy Ghost is farre beyond them all But what is it seeing thus far we see what it is not II. By way of Position or Affirmation Consider now what it is The sin against the Holy Ghost is not a single but a compounded wickednesse tempered and made up of many deadly poisons whereby it becomes extremely damnable There 's a Concurrence and Complication of many pernicious diseases in it which make it out of measure deadly There are some special Scriptures that peculiarly delineate the nature of this horrid sin unto us viz. These that follow For it is impossible for those which were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost â—…d have tasted the good Word of God and tho powers of the world to come If they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance Seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame Heb. 6. 4 5 6. And afterwards in the same Epistle it is said Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the Truth there remainâ—…th no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries He that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10. 25 26 27 28 29. The Apostle Iohn also saith If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall aske and he shall give him life for them that sinne not unto death There is a sinne unto death I do not say that he shall pray for it All unrighteousnesse is sin and there is a sin not unto death We know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not 1 Iohn 5. 16 17 18. Our blessed Saviour having healed one possessed of a devil blinde and dumb The Pharisees maliciously reviled him and said This fellow doth not cast out Devils but by Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils And Iesus knew their thoughts and said unto them Every Kingdom divided against it selfe is brought to desolation Wherefore I say unto you All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be fergiven him but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come Matth. 12. 22 24 25 31 32. Compare herewith Mark. 3. 22 28 29. who addes this as an expresse Reason Because they said He hath an unclean spirit ver 30. And Luk. 12. 10. The sin against which our Saviour thus severely speaks in these three Evangelists is without doubt that notorious sin against the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most strictly and properly so called For 1. It is denominated blasphemy against the Holy Ghost And 2. Is by Christ declared to be that one only unpardonable sin That sin also against which the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews and Iohn in the three fore-cited texts speak must needs be granted to be the same sin against the Holy Ghost in as much as it is in all the three places laid down as a dreadfull and unpardonable sin of which it's impossible to repent Heb. 6. 4. 5. 6. for which there remaines no more sacrifice Heb. 10. 25. 26. And for pardon whereof we must not pray 1 John 5. 16. So that all these texts speaking so fully and evidently of the sin against the Holy Ghost we may from them all considered together draw this Description of that horrid Sin against the Holy Ghost most properly and strictly so called viz. The sin against the Holy Ghost is an universall finall and wilfull falling away of Hypocriticall Professours From the Truth and common graces of the Holy Ghost once Received and Professed To the blasphemous despiting of the Spirit of Grace horrid contempt and malice against the Son of God and violent persecution of the way of Christianity This description of the sin against the Holy Ghost is so clearly grounded upon the former Scriptures that much need not be said for evincing thereof ' Only for unfolding the nature of this sin Consider in this description these ensuing particulars viz. 1. The general Nature of it A falling away 2. The more special Nature of it whereby it is differenced or distinguished from other sins viz. By 1. The peculiar Subject of it Hypocritical Professours 2. The properties of this falling away which are three It is 1. Universal 2. â—…ll 3. Wilfull 5. The Termini of Terms of this Apostasy or falling away which are 2. viz. 1. Terminus à Quo. The term froÌ„ wâ—… or the Good from which he falls viz. 1. Truth 2. CoÌ„mon Graces of the Holy Ghost Once received professed 2. Terminus ad Quâ—… The term to which or the evil to which he backslides which is 3 fold viz. to 1. Blasphemous despiting of the Spirit of
kill me c. This is the minimum quod sic viz. the lowest step of Assurance and is so of the nature of faith that faith cannot be without it in the weakest beleever Every true believer hath this assurance 2. A Certainty of Evidence or Experience When by the reflection of conscience and faith upon themselves and their owne acts or by the Testimony of the Spirit of God we evidently see we are in a gracious State experimentally discerning what God hath done for us and that upon such and such grounds effects of grace or other discoveries As being new creatures walking in the light walking after the spirit not after the flesh loving the brethren c. This some call Assurance of Internall vision Agustine counts this a clear evidence saying that our faith is conspicuous to our owne minde and that a man holds his faith by certaine knowledge and attestation of conscience And saith Ambrose He that hath the sense of faith in his heart knowes that Christ is in himselfe This Assurance is usually attended with much comfort and sweet joy upon the soule that hath it Yet every Christian reacheth it not as the former though all should contend earnestly for it It seems to pertaine rather to the well-being then to the meere being of faith and grace 3. An unstaggering certainty or a Full assurance when there 's such a full perswasion that overcomes all doubts feares staggerings of unbeliefe as in Abraham the father of the faithfull This is the maximum quod sic viz. The highest Pinacle of Assurance in this life next unto celestiall enjoyment and very few attaine unto it II. Of the Tryall of Assurance The Tryall of the truth of our assurance is of great importance and necessity For 1. Many Christians have some degree of assurance who think they have none at all Let such but be convinced of what they have they are comforted 2. Many have no true assurance at all who yet pretend thereto most of all Carnall men and hypocrites As Israel Solomons foole the selfe-justifying Pharisee and the Laedicean Angel Such should be convinced of what they want that they might be humbled and replenished All graces and so Assurance have their countefeits we had need try them lest we take shadows for substances Copper for gold Try Assurance by the 1 Qualification of the subject assured 2. Grounds or Causes of Assurance 3. Fruits or effects of Assurance I. The subject of Assurance must be duly qualified ere he can be capable of Assurance Persons are previously and preparatorily qualified for Assurance 1. By kindly humbling of the soule breaking of the heart and troubling of the conscience with feares about their naturall condition The spirit of bondage to fear goes before the spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirit our Son-ship More or lesse thus God deals with all that come by assurance Where 's thy true humbling 2. By furnishing the humbled broken heart with saving faith First we believe then are after sealed with the Spirit of promise Where 's thy true faith 3. By giving them the Spirit they must first have the Spirit of God ere by the Spirit they can know the things given them of God Hath God truly given thee his Spirit II. The Grounds or Causes of assurance must not be 1. Ignorance of our miserable state 2. Nor carnall confidence upon common things viz. worldly prosperity outward acts of religion or common inward gifts of the Spirit Illumination Taste of the good Word of God c. those and like are the false grounds of hypocrites But Grounds of true assurance are either 1. Divine Testimony by audible voice Thus Christ assured the Palsie-man and the penitent woman of pardon and the Convert thiefe of Paradise But this vocall Testimony was extraordinary To expect the like now or else to reject other grounds of assurance were to tempt God 2. The lively exercise of faith reflecting upon its own acts and â—…seeing it selfe believing Faiths acts are 1. Direct and these either 1. Receptive of Christ or 2. Operative from and by Christ received 2. Reflexive when faith returnes upon it selfe looks back upon its own acts thus receiving Christ thus working as Paul knew whom he had believed Doth thy faith thus act 3. The Testimony of our owne sanctified spirituall heart or conscience according to the Word of God of our good spirituall estate The spirit of man is as the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly knows what 's in him This Testimony of our sanctified conscience is usually obsolved by Ratiocination or discourse in a Practicall experimentall Syllogisme thus The Proposition being taken out of the Word viz. Some eminent Scripture Signe or Character of grace as in 2 Cor. 5. 17. Acts 15. 9. 1 Iohn 1. 7. and 3. 14. He that loves the brethren is passed from death to life this is dictated by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. The Conservative Treasury of conscience treasuâ—…ing up such Principles The Assumption is drawn from our owne â—…nown state and experience in the things of Christ c. As But I love the brethren This is made by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. Conâ—…cience as conscious of a mans state and frame â—…f heart The Conclusion containing the hearts senâ—…ence hereupon Therefore I am translaâ—…d from death to life is made by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudgment or judiciary sentence of conâ—…ience upon the Premises Doth thy conâ—…ience thus assure thee by the Word 4. The Testimony of the Spirit of God which purposely given us to this end that we â—…ay know the things that are given us of â—…od Now the Spirit becomes the Author â—…d ground of our Assurance 1. As a Seal â—…aling us after we believe by his holy and heavenly impression 2. As an earnest of our eternall inheritance First-fruits of the true Canaan or Handsell of heaven 3. As a joynt witnesse with our spirits and consciences both clearing up our spirituall evidences to our minds and opening our minds to discerne them as a teaching unction enabling us to know all things Hast thou such a Testimony from the Spirit of God III. The fruits or effects of true assurance distinguishing it from counterfeit assurance Presumption are these and such like 1. True assurance whereever it be mightily incites to selfe-purifying to accurate sanctification in heart and life Now we are the Sons of God but we know that wheâ—… he shall appeare we shall be like him Anâ—… every man that hath this hope in him purifieâ—… himselfe even as he is pure See this selfe-purifying hereafter more fully opened Presumption encourageth in sin and impurity 2. True assurance stirres up fervent dâ—… fires and longings in such hearts after thâ—… Gospel of Jesus Christ They that once haâ—… truly tasted the
thou find in his injoyment True love findâ—… most contentment in the enjoyment of the object most beloved hence David preferringâ—… the enjoyment of Gods face before any sublunary treasure discovers his true love to God thus Many say Who will shew us good Lord list thou up the light of thy countenancâ—… upon us thou hast put gladnesse in mine heart more then in the time that their corne and their New Wine increased Psal. 4. 6 7. And yeâ—… of all enjoyments of God Christ beloved that enjoyment is sweetest that succeeds his absence and estrangement Health is alwayes sweet but double sweet after sicknesse liberty alwayes pleasant but double pleasant after imprisonment life is alwayes comfortable but to have return'd from death to life is a double life So to them that love God his presence ever delectable but his presence after his soul-afflicting absence is even ravishing Hence David wrastling out of an intricate temptation and recovering a sweet view of God cryes out Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and mine heart faileth but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for ever Psal. 73. 25 26. The Church enjoying Christ saith I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet unto my taste Cant. 2. 3. but when after estrangement she found him whom her soul loved how is she transported I held him and would not let him go untill that I had brought him into my mothers house into the châ—…mber of her that conceived me I charge you O ye daughters of Jerusalem by the Roes and by the Hindes of the field that you stir not up nor awake my love â—…ill he please Cant. 3. 4 5. that is let him have no offence given him that I should lose him any more Canst thou truly say in thy enâ—…oyment of God of Christ O let his left hand be under my head and his right hand emâ—…race me Cant. 2. 9. Lord let not the left hand â—…f thy temporal consolation be wanting but be â—…nder my head for use but let thy spirituall right hand thy consolation about spirituals and eternals embrace me wholly for enjoyment and in the embracement of thy love in the kisses of thy sweetnesse my soul shall rest and sleep in peace O it is good for us to be here let us build three Tabernacles one for Faith one for Hope and one for Love but all for thee This is right love to God indeed 2. Intensively God is the highest object of love and challengeth the highest and most intensive acts of love God is the supream Good yea the only good none good but one that is God Matth. 19 17. therefore he should have the supream affections all the affections all of the affections and none but he Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul anâ—… with all thy strength and with all thy mindeâ—… Luke 10 27. Deut. 6. 5. Matth. 22. 37. with these foure heart soul might and minde and with all of every one of these i. e. with all that is within thee God if truly loved is to be beloved of thee Yea let God leâ—… Jesus Christ have the preheminence in thâ—… soul above all creatures let him possesse the throne of thine heart and be a diadem on thy head but let all things else sit down below at thy foot-stool Prov. 12. 1. Psal. 73. 25. and 4. 6 7. Matth. 10. 37. Luke 14. 26. no object is so amiable no delight so delectable as God to him that loves him true love can despise the world yea ten thousand worlds for him 3. Sincerely and uprightly When God is chiefly loved for himself for his own incomparable Excellency perfection beauty sweetnesse lovelinesse and love and other things are loved for him and in order to him then not so much they are loved as God is loved in them 1 Iohn 4. 19. We love him because he loved us first The Church loved Christ for himself Cant. 5. 10. to the end We may love Gods gifts but must more love God the giver else our love is mercinary not upright 4. Purely and bolily God is truly loved when purely affected we love God purely when we cordially hate that which God cannot love viz. Sin Ye that love the Lord hate evil Psal. 97. 10. Lovest thou him saith Augustine thou oughtest to hate what he hates Hence it appeares thou truly lovest what is good if thou beest found to hate what is evil 5. Obedientally When we so love God or Jesus Christ as to indeavour really to keep all his Commandements If you love me keep my Cemmandements He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me John 15. 21 23. That is saies Augustine He that loveth them in memory and keeps them in life who hath them in words and keeps them in works who hath them in hearing and keeps them in doing or who hath them in doing and keeps them in persevering He it is saith he that loveth me Love is to be demonstrated by works that 〈◊〉 be not an unfruitful usurpation of the name of love 6. Invincibly against all difficulties oppositions and persecutions Love is strong as death jealousie is cruel as the grave the coales thereof are coales of fire which hath a most vehement flame Many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it Cant. 8. 6 7. 7. Uncessantly in incorruption True love to Christ will not waste putrefie worm-eat or decay but is uncorruptible Grace be with all them that love the Lord Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in incorruption Eph. 6. 24. true love is a long-lasting yea an everlasting affection Charity never faileth 1 Cor. 13. 8. CHAP. II. Evidences or Signes of our Regeneration New-birth Adoption Son-ship c. THat the world kneweth us not if we be the children of God Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God! therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not 1 John 3. 1. By World here understand that world of carnal unregenerate persons that lieth in wickknesse 1 John 5. 19. elsewhere called the children of this world in opposition to the children of light Luk. 16. 8. This world knows not the heavenly Father adopting nor his spiritual children adopted yea therefore it knowes them not because they are the children of such a Father So that the worlds not knowing us in this sense may help us to discover that God knows us and ownes us as his children To know implies first sometimes a precise act of the minde understanding discerning discovering apprehending comprehending things what they are Iohn 21. 15. 17. 1 Cor. 8. 4. In this sense the carnal world knowes not God nor Jesus Christ nor the things of God because they are spiritually discerned Jer. 10.
into a new creature As that learned Master Perkins hath observed Thus of the first Argument 2. Ab impossibili from the impossibility of his so sinning that is born of God and that from the state and nature of his regeneration and he cannot sinne because he is borne of God whereby he intimates that a sinful course and a state of grace are wholly incompatible and inconsistent with one another Here the Apostle riseth higher in his expression clearly pronouncing that the hearts of the godly are so efficaciously governed by his Spirit that with an inflexible affection they follow the conduct of the Spirit The Apostle doth not only teach that the regenerate are able not to sin 〈◊〉 but that the motion of the Spirit is so effectuall that it necessarily retaines them in the constanâ—… obedience of righteousnesse As Calv. observes not unsuitable to this of Iohn is the tenor of the Covenant of grace I will put my feare in their hearts and they shall not depart from me Jer. 32. 40. Thus much for the distribution and explication of this cotext wherein not sinning is made a note of regeneration Now because this is a grand evidence of being born of God that all such sin not nor can sin because this hath much difficulty in it as seeming to crosse not onely the experience of all regenerate persons who feel they sin frequently to the griefe of their soules but also divers Scriptures Psa. 19. 12 13. Rom. 7. 15 23 24. Iam. 3. 〈◊〉 1 Ioh. 1. 8 9 10. Therefore this is the prinâ—…ipall thing here to be opened and cleered convincingly to the Conscience viz. How or in what sense He that is borne of â—…od doth not commit sin nor can sin For more clear Resolution herein consiâ—…er this thing Negatively and Affirmatively Negatively when the Apostle saith He that born of God doth not commit sin nor can sin â—…ereby cannot be meant as some have hence â—…agined that the regenerate have no sin all inherent in them nor committed by â—…em but are perfectly holy even in this â—…e As of old the Manicheâ—…s and Cathariâ—…ought â—…ought they could not so much as sin in â—…ought The Pelagians and Familists iâ—…gined themselves so free from sinne that they needed not to pray forgive us our trespasses The Adamites deemed themselvâ—…s as pure as Adam and Eve before their faâ—… And the Carpocratians dreamed that they were as free from sinne as Christ himselâ—…e Yea even in these our dayes some have held That he that believeth that Christ hath taâ—… away his sin is as clean without sin as Christ himselfe That It is as possible for Christ himselfe to sinne as for a child of God to sinne That If a man by the Spirit know himseâ—… to be in the state of grace though he be drâ—… or commit murther God sees no sin in him That as well our workes as persons are perfectly holy and good That a Saint 〈◊〉 this life without any addition hereafter is perfectly just perfectly holy compleatly glorious 〈◊〉 this life and is not capable of any addition 〈◊〉 ter death in the least degree but onely of maâ—… festation Against these fond and false imagination observe 1. That the holy Scripture expressely tesâ—… fies the contrary viz. That the most holy aâ—… regenerate persons in this life have in theâ—… Sin Originall and hence â—…oo often fall iâ—… sin actâ—…all Who can underistand his error Psal. 19. 12. Who can sâ—…y I have made 〈◊〉 beare clean I am pure from my sin Pro. 〈◊〉 9. There iâ—… no man 〈◊〉 sinneth not 1 Kâ—… 8. 46. 2. Chron. 6. 36. In many things sin all Iames 〈◊〉 2. There is not a just man on earth that doth good and sinneth not Ecclesâ—…y 20. If we say that we have no sin viz. originally we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us If we say we have not sinned viz. actually we make him a liar and his word is not in us 1 Iohn 1. 8 10. 2. The universall experience of the best of God Saints in all ages evidences that none of them all have been without sinne in this life Not Abraham Gen. 12. 13 19. 20. 2 5. Not Isaac Gen. 26. 7 9. Not Iacob Gen. 27. 19 20 24. Not Moses and Aaron Psal. 106. 33. Deut. 32. 50 51. Exod 32. 2 21. Not David Psal. 51. 1 to 10. 38. 3 4. Not Peter Matth. 26. 33 34 35 70 to the end Gal. 2. 11 12 13 Not Paul himselfe Rom. 7. 18 20 23 24 25. 3. The nature of grace and sanctification in this life is at perfectest but imperfect and growing on to perfection 1 Cor. 13. 9 10. Phil. 3. 12 13. consequently mortification is imperfect Some Canaanites are still in the land though the Kings are distroyed There is a remnant of flesh as well as a principle of spirit Gal. 5. 17. The Church is not actually purged but in purging from all defilements and at last there shall be no spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing Eph. 5. 26 27. Onely the man Christ Jesus in this world was without sin Heb. 4. 15. Isa. 53. 9. Heb. 7. 26. 2 Cor. 5. 21. 4. Compleat purity from sin and perfection of holinesse is a glory though to be desired on earth yet reserved for heaven Rom. 6. 7. Eph. 5. 27. Heb. 12. 23. Rev. 21. 27. 5. Unto all which might be added the plentifull suffrage of Ancient Writers take the sense of two or three for all Lactantius Firmianus saith None can be without sin so long as he is burdened with the clothing of flesh Hierom saith If the outward man do what it would not and acts what it hates it shewes that the Command is good and that he acts not what is evill but sinne dwelling in his flesh i. e. the vices of the body and desires of pleasune * Augustine saith Search every one though most righteous in this life though he be worthy of the title of a just man yet is he not without sin And a little after Whatsoever is sin is formerly blotted out of us in baptisme but because all iniquity is blotted out doth no infirmity remaine if none remaine we shouid live here without sinne but who dare say this but a proud man but one unworthy of the mercy of the pardoner but he that will deceive him selfe and in whom the truth is not And in his book of the City of God he saith The words of such a master and our Lord are vigilantly to be considered for he saith not If you forgive men their sins your Father will allso forgive you what sins soever but he saith your sins For he taught adaily prayer and spake to disciples justified What is therefore your sins but the sins without which even you are not who are justified and sanctified Blessed Cyprian also that valiant Confessor and glorious Martyr of Jesus Christ writing upon that Petition of the Lords prayer And forgiveius our
ask according to Gods will vers 14 15. This done he more particularly accmmodates this their priviledge declaring how prevalent their prayer shall be in particular for a lapsed brother to obtain life and pardon for him verse 16. This particular case of praying for a lapsed brother is further amplified three wayes viz. By a Distinction a Caution and a Cnofirmation of it By a Distinction betwixt sin and sin that a believer may know what sin he may pray for pardon of according to Gods will so as to speed Sin is here distinguished into sin unto dath and sin not unto death verse 16. 17. Sin unto death as Tertullian hath observed is irremissible or unpardonable Sin not unto death is remissible or pardonable for this sort of sin we are to pray Yet here the Apostles meaning is not to intimate that any sin is in its owne nature not mortall as Papists fondly distinguish of mortall and veniall sin for according to the merit and proper nature of every sin there can be no sin so small but in it selfe it is mortall and deserves death even death eternall Rom. 6. 23. For every sin is a transgression of the Law 1 John 3. 4. and the least transgression of the Law though but once admitted in its owne nature exposes to the curse Gal. 3. 10. But though all sins are mortall meritoriously yet some sins are not mortall eventually viz. God is pleased not to inflict the punishment of eternall death for every sin that deserves it and this the Apostles sence here as Calvin hath judiciously observed though there is one kinde of sin which is mortall not onely meritoriously in its owne nature but eventually God alwayes so plaguing it And what sin can this be but that sin against the Holy Ghost of which Matth. 12. 31 32. Heb. 6. 4 to 7. and â—…0 â—…6 to 31. seeme plainly to speaks 2. By a caution not to pray for the pardon of that sin unto death vers 10. For that were not to pray according to Gods Will inasmuch as God hath declared that of all sin he will not pardon that sin Matth. 12. 31 32. So that we ought not to pray for the pardon of the sin against the Holy Ghost abstractly considered not yet as considered concretely in this or that person whom we can clearly and infallibly discover to have fallen into it 3. By confirmation the Apostle gives a reason why we should pray for pardon of the sin of a lapsed Brother of any regenerate person in that he that is borne of God never commits this sin unto death this impardonable sin Why He that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not Vers. 18. It is not said He tempteth him not but he toucheth him not How doth not Satan that wicked one touch him Non tangit tactu qualitativo i. e. Not with a qualitative touch saith Cajetan in loc but Calvin much more judiciously He toucheth him not lethally mortally The regenerate is not quite exempted from Satans wounding-touch but by the shield of faith he guards himself from the mortall killing touch that he is not stabbed to the heart Whence is it that he is thus preserved He keepeth himselfe nay God keeps him as Christ prayed Iohn 17. 11. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Else wo wo to every Christian were he is own keeper He keeps himself from this sinne whilest God keeps him for he acts meerely in Gods strength and no further Thus the H. Ghost plainly testifies that they that are borne of God sin not this sin to death Make but sure to thy conscience that thou art borne of God and this may encourage thee against thy trembling apprehensions that thou hast sinned against the H. Ghost 2. Should it come to passe that the regenerate might sin against the H. Ghost then they might totally and finally fall away from God But that any regenerate person should totally and finally fall away is as impossible as that Gods Covenant promises and faithfulnesse should faile or that Gods Spirit grace and power preserving them should be overcome as was before cleared or that Gods immutable decree for their salvation should be shaken or overthrown 2 Tim. 2. 19. Rom. 8. 29 30. 3. They that are regenerate shall never come into condemnation There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit For the Law of the Spirit of life hath made them free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8. 1 2. Therefore they shall never fall into the sin against the H. Ghost for they that fall into that sin cannot possibly escape condemnation 2. Questionlesse those persons have not sinned the sin against the H. Ghost who are perplexed troubled and afraid that they have fallen into it That very jealousie fear solicitousness and trouble of conscience lest thou shouldest have already so sinn'd is an undoubted proof and evidence that thou never did'st commit that sin in all thy life for no person that indeed ever sinned against the Holy Gost either was or could be afraid perplexed or troubled in spirit about it such trouble being inconsistent with the nature of that sin which leaves no place for any religious feare suspicion jealousie or trouble of heart about it They that so sin sinning wilfully obstinately maliciously and blasphemously against the Spirit of grace without all colour shadow or possibility of remorse or repentance Matth. 12. 31 32. Heb. 6. 4 to 7. and 10. 26 to 31. These feares and tremblings of poor soules in this case are signes indeed that they are very weake and Satan very busie with them abusing their weaknesse but they are no signes of this sin committed by them but rather of the contrary 3. Those persons that are without the visible Church and without the Gospel-ordinances as Turks Pagans c. though some of the Ancients think even such may sin against the H. Ghost as also those persons within the visible Church who have yet received little or no illumination by meanes of the ordinances or spirituall taste and power of them they are not for present in immediate capacity of falling into this dreadfull sin against the Holy Ghost though the root of it being original coruption be in them wholly unmortified for as much as it is not immediately and actually incident but to such as are within the Church and those therein who wanting true grace have yet received some common grace of illumination and taste of spirituall things Hebrewes 6. Affirmatively false-hearted hypocriticall Professours of Christ and Christianity living in the bosome of the Church who were never throughly renewed Col. 3. 10. Tit. 3. 5. not partakers of the true life of God Eph. 4. 18. and power of godlinesse but onely attained the forme of godlinesse 2 Tim. 3. 5. a name that they live Rev. 3. 1. and some formall accomplistments of Hypocrites and temporary beleevers who to
Indifferent as things left at liberty Rom. 14. 2 3. For matter they practise Righteousnesse who practise things Good or Indifferent But they practise unrighteousnesse who practise things Evil. Ye are of your father the Devill and the works of your father you will do Joh. 8. 44. II. Who do that which is materially righteous from a right Ground and Principle Such as are mens Principles within such are their Practices without Mat. 12. 33 34. Iehu did for matter that which God required but not from a right ground 2 King 10. 30 31. The right ground and principle from which all holy and righteous acts should flow is threefold viz. 1. A pure heart 2. A good Conscience And 3. Faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. 5. 1. A pure heart viz. not absolutely and compleatly purified from all sinne which in this life is impossible 1 Ioh. 1. 8. Thus Who can say he hath made his heart clean Prov. 20. 9. But comparatively and respectively purified So purified as no carnal mans heart in the world is purified 1. Purified by the blood of Christ sprinkled upon the heart by way of Iustification Zech. 13. 1. Psal. 51. 7. Act. 15. 9. 2. Purified by the Spirit of Christ his gracious habits as principles of purity being infused This is by way of Sanctification 1 Cor. 6. 11. So faith is a principle of purity Act. 15. 9. He that hath such a pure heart mingles not with sin but works it out and seperates from it as honey works out the waxe wine the lees mettal in the furnace the drosse Such regard not iniquity in their heart Psal. 66. 18. Here 's a right ground of righteous practices Hast thou such a pure heart 2. A good Conscience viz. not metaphysically or naturally good so every mans Conscience is good But spiritually and supernaturally good Conscience is supernaturally â—…ood 1. When it is by Christs blood purged from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9. â—…4 2. When it is habitually exercised to inoffensivenesse to God man Act. 24. 16. compared with Act 23. 1. 3. When Conscience endeavours to be compleatly universally good In al good conscience Act. 23. 1. 4. When conscience approves it selfe good even in the sight of God Act 23. 1. 1 Pet. 3 21. 5. When upon all this Conscience gives a comfortable testimony of the Hearts simplicity and godly sincerity able to support under greatest distresses and afflictions 2 Cor. 1. 8 9 10 11 12. Actest thou now from such a good Conscience 3. Faith unfeigned without hypocrisie Without faith there 's no pleasing of God Heb. 11. 6. Faith washes all our duties and acts of obedience in the blood of the Lamb and so â—…enders them acceptable to God 〈◊〉 Pet. 2. 5. Faith is then unfeigned 1. When it hath the true nature of Faith in it viz. Assenting to Gods truths revealed 1 Ioh. 5. 10 11 and Applying particularly those Truths assented to Ioh 1. 11 12 Gal. 2. 20. 〈◊〉 When it produceth effects of a living Faith viz. Good works without which fruits whatsoever faith is pretended it is but feigned faith a dead faith Jam. 2. 20 26. Hast thou such a Faith whence all thy righteous actions spring III. Who for form and manner do righteousnesse in such sort as God requires not only doing Bona good things but doing them Bene well God loves as some note to be served with Adverbs rather then with Nouns or Verbs Now Religious and righteous acts are then wel performed when they are done 1. Spiritually and heartily with heart and spirit not with body only This God requires Prov. 23. 26. Ioh. 4. 24. 1 Cor. 6. 20. This the godly perform Rom. 1. 9. Psal. 25. 1. Phil. 3. 20. The carnal meer corporal service God condemns Ezek. 33. 31 32. Mat. 15. 7 8. 2. Sincerely and uprightly as in the sight of God and approving our hearts to him Gen. 17. 1. as David Psal. 18. 22. 66. 18. Paul 2 Cor. 2. ult Peter Joh. 21. 15 16 17. 3. Obedientially because God commands the duty therefore in conscience and love to the command obedience is performed as in Noah Heb. 11. 7. Abraham Heb. 11. 8 17 c. David Psa. 40 8. 119. 143. Paul Rom. 7. 22. 4. Universally fully without reservations and exceptions Hypocrites may do many things as Iehu 2 King 10. 30 31. Herod Mar. 6. 20. But the gracious spirit hath respect to all things required as in David Ps. 119 6. Caleb Num. 14. 24. Zechary and Elizabeth Luk. 1. 6. 5. Constantly Perseverance in well-doing crowns well-doing true zeal like the fire in the sanctuary never goes out See Psal. 1. 2 3. Psal. 92. 13 14. 119 20. Hypocrisie lasts not like paint or varnish it will wash off Job 27. 10 Mat. 13. 20 21. 1 Joh. 2. 19. Dost thou practise Righteousnesse now Spiritually Sincerely Obedientially Universally Constantly IV. Finally Who practise Righteousnesse for right ends viz. Gods glory primarily 1 Cor 10. 31. Their own and others spirituall or eternall good secondarily Mat. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 4. 2 3 4. Rom. 2. 7. Low base ends spoile the highest undertakings as in Iehu 2 Kings 10. Pharisees Mat. 6. 2 5 16. K. Saul 1 Sam. 15. 30. VII True love of the Brethren may be a 7th Signe or Evidence of our Regeneration In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousuesse is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother 1 Joh. 3. 7. Again he saith Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God 1 Joh. 4. 7. And further he addeth We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the Brethren He that loveth not his Brother abideth in death 1 Joh. 3. 14. This Evieence of Brotherly love will be more judiciously and comfortably improved if we consider 1. The generall clearnesse of it 2. What Brethren are here intended 3. Some under-notes or discoveries of this Brotherly love I. The generall clearnesse of this Evidence Experience tels us that usually the weakest and most timerous Christians who can find small or no comfort in other Evidences of their gracious state yet can discerne some glimmerings here in their love of the brethren And this one discovery hath supported many because they evidently and experimentally feel in their own hearts that they cordially love the Brethren He that loves his brother said Augustine better knowes his love wherewith he loves then his brother whom he loves II. What Brethren are here intended Answ. There are 1. Brethren by Nation Act. 7. 23 25. Rom. 9. 3. 2. Brethren by nature descended of the same naturall parents or parent Mat. 1. 2. 3. Brethren by office 2 Pet. 3. 15. 2 Cor. 1. 1. Col. 1. 1. Philem. 1. 4. Brethren by grace and supernaturall Regeneration Philem. 16. Here understand Brethren in the last sense for Brethren by grace 1. Partly inasmuch as
we shun all fellowship with works of darknesse in others Eph. 5. 11. 4. When we hate not the light as evil doers but love it and come unto it that it may be manifest our deeds are wrought in God â—…ohn 3. 20 21. VII Seventhly Walking as Christ our chief Captaine Heb. 2. 10 walked is a further discovery of our fellowship with God and Christ. He that saith he abideth in him ought himselfe also so to walke even as he walked 1 John 2. 6. To walke as Christ walked is to imitate Christ to follow Christ or as Oecumenius well expresseth it so to live and behave our selves in our life as Christ did To rectifie our life according to Christs course Christs actions were either 1. Acts of divine power as his miracles turning water into wine Iohn 2. 7 c. walking on the sea Mark 6. 48 â—…9 Raising the dead Iohn 12. 1. Matthew 11. 5. Luk. 7. 21 c. 2. Acts of divine Prerogative Matth. 21. 2 c. 3 Acts Mediatory as dying for his sheep Ioh. 10. 15. Giving of the Spirit Ioh. 20. 22. Acts 2. Appointing his own officers in the Church Eph. 4. 7 10 11. 4. Moral Acts appertaining to the common nature of sanctification as Mat. 11. 29. Eph. 5. 2 3 25. Or at least bottomed upon a moral consideration and ground as in Ioh. 13. 14 15. According to these moral acts of Christ we are to follow Christ to walk as Christ walked How did Christ walk that we may know whether we walk like him 1. Christ walked most purely holily inoffensively both before God and man Heb. 4. 15. and 7. 26. Isa. 53. 9. Many took offence at Christ Mat. 15. 12. Mark 6. 3. but Christ gave them no offence Thus should we walk 1 Cor. 10. 32 33. Act. 23. 1. and 24. 16. 1 Thes. 2 10 11 12. 2. Christ walked most humbly and meekly Mat. 11. 28. Phil. 2. 5 6 7. 3. Christ walked most selfe-denyingly Though he was rich yet became poore for our sakes 2 Cor. 8. 9. If it be possible let this cup passe from me yet not as I will but as thou wilt Mar. 14. 36. 4. Christ walked most zealously Joh. 2. 15 16 17. 5. Christ walked most obedientially to his heavenly Father Rom. 5. 19. Ioh. 4. 34. Heb. 5. 8 9. He became obedient to death even the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. 8. He was so obedient ut vitam perdidit ne obedientiam perderet that he lost his life that he might not lose his obedience Our Saviour said Bernard preferred this vertue of obedience before his life choosing rather to lay down his life then not to fulfil his obedience 6. Christ walked most profitably went about doing good Act. 10. 38. 7. Walked most lovingly tenderly and compassionately towards poore sinners to winne them and save them Luk. 4. 18 19 20 21. Mat. 12. 19 20. and 11. 28 29 30. Luk. 7. 37 to the end 8. Christ walked most spiritually and heavenly He lived on earth as if he had been still in heaven Extracted heavenly contemplations and spiritual lessons from all sorts of earthly objects and occasions presented before him Iohn 4 10 c. and ver 31 32. and 6. 26 27 c. and 15. 1 c. Dost thou thus walk as Christ walked then hast thou communion with God in Christ. VIII VIII Keeping his Word and Commandements discovers our communion with God Whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected Hereby know we that we are in him 1 Joh. 2. 5. And this is his Commandment that we should beleeve on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment And he that keepeth his Commandments dwelleth in him and he in him 1 Joh. 3. 23 24. Signes of true keeping his commandments See in Chap. 2. Signe 6. p. 162 to 168. and Ch. 6. Signe 4. p. 208 to 212. Signes of true believing in Jesus Christ See in Chap. 2. Signe 2. p. 23 to 29. Signes of the brethrens true love to one another See in chap. 2. Signe 7. p. 168 to 173. and chap. 8. throughout IX Lastly True brotherly love is a signe of our Communion with God For we love our brethren for God in them that begat them 1 Iohn 5. 1. we love God because he first loved us 1 Iohn 4. 19. And where there is mutual love betwixt God and us we have sweet communion with him If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us 1 John 4. 12. Evidences of the truth of our brotherly love to one another See in Chap. 2. Signe 7. p. 168 to 173. and chap. 8. throughout CHAP. VIII Finally Evidences or Signes of the unfeigned love of the Brethren viz. the true children of God begotten of him Compare 1 Iohn 4. 20 21. with 1 Iohn 5. 1 2. I. FIrst True spirituall knowing of God Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is borne of God and knoweth God He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love 1 John 4. 7 8. Evidences of true knowledge of God See in Chap. 5. throughout p. 193 c. II. Secondly Sincere loving of God Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is is begotten of him By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God 1 John 5. 1 2. Evidences of our true love to God See in Chap. 6. throughout p. 200 c. III. Thirdly Right keeping of Gods Commandements By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his Commandements For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandements and his Commandements are not grievous 1 John 5. 2 〈◊〉 Evidences of keeping Gods Commandments See in Chap. 2. Signe 6. p. 162 to p. 168. and Chap. 6. Signe 4. p. 208 to 212. IV. Fourthly Loving the Brethren peculiarly and especially in this notion or respect as they are begotten of God and as they are thereby the children of God Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him By this we know that we love the children of God 1 John 5. 1 2. See this further cleared p. 170 171. V. Finally When we love them not verbally and complementally but really and sincerely Opening tender bowels of Compassion to our brother in need yea if the cause require hazarding our dearest lives for the children of God Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren But whoso hath this worlds good and seeth his brother hath need and sâ—…utteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him My little children let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth And hereby we know that we are of