condition onely it is so in the apprehension of the elect and that reconciliation is begun when they apprehend it But certain it is that there is not onely an apprehension of Gods wrath but they are really under Gods wrath God hath really put them under the creatures and under the curse of the Law Jesus Christ was not onely in apprehension but really under the wrath of God he was really made a curse Gal. 3. 13. God put him under the Law to be dealt withal as those that are under the Law Now by reconciliation this wrath is done away Yet doth not this imply any change in God for God is to be considered two wayes 1. As he is in himself And so he hath not several things in him Those inward acts of God are his Being and there are not several Attributes in him c. 2. As he is pleased to manifest himself in his several wayes and workings towards his Creatures in this respect according as the Creature is in himself so is Gods reflection upon the Creature as the Sun through the glass shines according to the colour of the glass Now it implies no mutation in Gods Being to express himself diversly in his working towards the Creatures according to their different condition 2. God takes away the enmity that is naturally in the hearts of men and so makes them willing to accept of Reconciliation and to be at peace with him 3. There is a solemn league and covenant made wherein God and man joyn together which the Scripture cals a Covenant of Grace Hosea 2. 19 02. 4. There is mutual friendship and delight between God and the Creature whereby God communicates his good unto the Creature and the Creature communicates his good of love fear service and obedience unto God God saith to the Creature I will be thy God the Creature saith to God behold I am thy servant thy subject to honour obey serve thee for ever Now this Peace is wrought in and by Jesus Christ by way of transaction with the Father and that after this manner 1. He is willing to be charged with our debt 2. He is willing to satisfie the fullest demands of Divine wrath and justice for our debt Isa 53. 10. 3. He undertakes also to bring poor Creatures to submit to God to love him to fear him to give up themselves to be ruled and governed by him of which the Apostle speaks plainly Colos 1. 20 21 22. And having made peace through the bloud of his cross by him to reconcile all things to himself by him I say whether things in heaven or things in earth And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight Iesus Christ did as well undertake to make the elect unblameable as to free them from condemnation Now though the Gospell be called a Gospell of peace in respect of all these yet this last is principally to be understood in this place the two former are but effects and consequences of this The Gospel is a Gospel of Reconciliation so the Apostle cals it 2 Cor. 5. 19. 3. In what respects is the Gospel a Gospel of peace 1. In regard of Discovery and manifestation The Gospel is that which makes known this peace unto the sons of men As the Apostle speaks Rom. 1. 27. Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith As life and immortality is brought to light by the Gospel 2 Timothy 1. 10. so is peace and reconciliation The Gospel is that silver Trumpet by which this Jubile of peace is proclaimed to the world Acts 10. 36. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ It is the Gospel which preacheth this peace to men The world was never acquainted with this peace till the Gospel of God came to their eares The Nations that want the Gospel are meer strangers to this peace Luke 1. 79. It is the light of the Gospel that guides mens feet into the way of this peace 2. In regard of Conveyance and Communication The Gospel doth not onely barely publish but doth actually work this peace It is by the Spirit of God through the preaching of the Gospel that the hearts of men are inclined to accept of this peace Psal 110. 2. 3. The Lord shall send the rod of his strength out of Zion i. e. the Gospel and then it followeth Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power when the rod of Gods strength comes effectually to work upon the soul then is the unwilling soul made willing 3. Inregard of Conservation The Gospel is the Ark wherein are kept all the Articles and Agreements between God and man All the transactions between God and Christ for the making of this peace are preserved and kept safe in the Gospel This is the golden pot wherein this Manna is preserved for all the generations of the Church 4. In regard of Recovery When the soul that is reconciled to God hath lost the sense and apprehension of its peace with God it doth by the studying and hearing of the Gospel require and recover the assurance of its former Peace 5. In regard of Confirmation The Gospel seals and confirms this peace 4 I shall now answer one Objection viz. that of our Saviour Math. 10. 34. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his father c. and we see by experience that where the Gospel comes divisions contentions and quarrellings do presently arise c. Luke 12. 49. I am come to send fire on the earth and what would I if it be already kindled Hence some have prophanely wished the Bible burnt as the great Incendiary of the world Sol. These Contentions are not the naturall effects of the Gospel for it doth naturally work peace and amity The Wisdom which is from above is first pure and then peaceable c. Jam. 3. 17. but they arise accidentally from the Gospel The Gospel meets with the lusts and corruptions of mens hearts and these being awakened breed contentions The Devil he is inraged against the Gospel and therefore he stirs up mens corruptions to make head against it The Gospel cals upon men to be strict holy to deny themselves c. the natural heart abhors this and so becomes not onely disobedient but contentious Rom. 2. 8. The Gospel is the cause of Contentions as meat is the cause of ill humours The naturall property of it is to nourish c. but because it meets with a diseased stomack it accidentally weakens Or as a good physick is the cause of sicknesses c. 1. Vse Information We may from hence draw many conclusions Viz. 1. This shews the pretiousness and glory of the Gospel
such duties yet there is no external duty or action of Religion which may not be done by one who is in a state of enmity Actions indeed which are intrinsecally good as beleiving in God fearing of God c. he cannot do but all external duties he may do Jezebel she keeps a fast an extraordinary duty Jehu goes farther than most of Gods friends in these actions Reg. 10 per tot Those in Esay 58. 2 3 4 did very much yet all of them in a state of enmity 4. T is no argument to prove that a man is at peace with God because he doth not shew so much enmity against God as others do A man may farre exceed many others and yet be no friend onely he may be a less enemy This was the Pharisees Argument God I thank thee I am not as other men c. Luke 18. 11. meer restraining grace Civil education carnal policy want of temptations and a hundred such things may cause a man to hide enmity and not to shew it so much as others and yet he is no friend to God or God to him All Serpents have not the same measure of poyson 5 No man can argue that he is at peace with God because he is not so full of enmity as he was before The weapons may perhaps be knocked out of thy hand Thou maist not have the same opportunity thou hadst before to shew thy enmity Thy enmity may perhaps have some other way of working than before It may be God hath thee in some bonds or other that thou darest not shew thy self as thou hast done and wouldest do wert thou at liberty It may be thou art not so able to manifest thine enmity as thou hast been An enemy may be taken prisoner may be wounded c. that he cannot express his emity and yet have as much gall in him as ever he had For the latter 1. A man cannot argue that he is not at peace with God because of the oppression of some outward Afflictions Many of the friends of God reason against themselves by this Argument they think if God and they were at peace they should not feel the blows of his hand as now they doe This was the reasoning which Jobs friends used to prove God and him to be enemies one to another Job 4. 6 7. They thought such sad afflictions were not consistent with a state of peace This kind of reasoning would have excluded Jesus Christ himself from being at peace with God who was the beloved of his soul The Jews did upon this ground look upon him as Gods enemy Esay 53. 4. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted And so they reasoned against him when he was on the Cross He trusted in God that he would deliver him let him deliver if he delight in him Math. 27. 43. The Scripture tels us that this is a false rule Eccle. 9. 1. 2. As wicked men cannot argue they are Gods friends because of freedom from troubles no more can the godly argue that they are Gods enemies because of the presence of such things God makes his love to his people to be the ground of the chastening with the rods of men Revel 3. 19. and Heb. 12 7 8. 2. A man cannot argue that he is not at peace with God because he wants the present feeling and comfortable evidences of his peace Peace may be concluded in Heaven between God and the soul and not yet proclaimed feelingly in the conscience of the sinner Heman the Ezrahite was a man at peace with God the Scripture gives that testimony of him in many places and yet he wanted the feeling of his peace Psalm 88. per totum Jesus Christ himself did for a time want the present comforts of his peace My God my God why hast thou forsaken me There are divers cases in which a soul who is at peace with God may be without the present apprehensions thereof 1. In the beginning and infancy of Conversion a child hath reason as soon as he is born but he wants a reflected act to know that he hath it 2. In the hour of Temptation when temptation is high consolation is often low 3. In the day of spiritual Desertion When God hides his face the soul is full of troubles yea it walks in darkness and can see no light Isai 50. 10. 4. In the time of Relapses when the soul hath been overtaken and drawn into some sin This was Davids case Psalm 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation he had not lost the Jewel of salvation but he had lost the joy of his salvation 3. A man cannot argue that he is not at peace with God because he finds grace to be but very weak His faith is but weak his zeal is but cold his desires are but flint c. T is not strength of grace but truth of grace which is an evidence of Reconciliation A little light in the morning is better than the bright moon-shine in the night because t is the light of the morning God will not despise the day of small things and man should not despise it Zech. 4. 10. And besides 1. Sometimes some graces may be suspended that some other graces may be more fully discovered faith may act but weakly that humility and self-denial may be increased 2. Sometimes the same grace may be suspended in one act that it may be more intended in some other act which is every way as profitable for the soul Faith is sometimes remitted in regard of comforting that it may be intended in its act of purifying 4. A man cannot argue want of peace with God from the presence of some corruption and the present feeling of some enmity in the soul If peace with God were inconsistent with the being of corruption there would be no peace with God on this side heaven The Song of the Angels at the birth of Christ is Glory be to God on high on earth peace Luke 2. 14. That clause must be blotted out if a state of reconciliation be not consistent with the being of corruption Paul was at peace with God and yet he had a law in his members Rom. 7. 23. he would have done good but evill was present he had a body of death and a root of bitterness still in him and this brought forth both gall and wormwood Freedom from corruption is desired and endeavoured by the Saints on earth but it is not enjoyed by any but the Saints in heaven The body of death is not destroyed but by the death of the body 5. A man cannot conclude that he is not at peace with God because his sins have been very great Esay 55. 7. As the heavens are high above the earth so are my wayes c. Paul had been a very great sinner 1 Tim. 1. 13. A blasphemer a persecutor and injurious and yet when he wrote that was under a
a practical transforming knowledge His knowledge is diffused into every step of his life into every action his life is reformed by his knowledge and conformed to the truths of God whereas the knowledge of an unbeleiver neither changeth his heart nor life except it be from evill to worse his knowledge puffeth him up 1 Cor. 8. 1. it makes him more proud and more sensual It s said of the Heathen that they retained nor God in their knowledge Rom. 1. 28. but became vain in their imaginations the one hath onely the form of knowledge Rom. 2. 20. the other hath not onely the form but the power and the life also 3. The knowledge of faith is a knowledge which raises the heart nearer to God The knowledge of a Beleiver crucifieth the world unto him and him unto the world Gal. 6. 14. vide Phil. 3. 8. 10. whereas the knowledge of an unbeleiver bows down his soul nearer the earth 2. Concerning the assent of an unbeleiver it differs from the assent of true faith thus 1. The assent of faith is a chearful assent It s free But the assent of an unbeleiver is without joy Jam. 2. 19. The devils beleive and tremble so do the unbeleiver at least concerning some truths 2. The assent of faith is universal So is not the assent of an unbeleiver at least his chearful assent There are some truths in the Scripture which threaten ruine and destruction to all in his condition these he cannot assent to at least joyfully There are some truths which call him to the practise of such things which he hath no affection to the crucifying of sin the mortifying of corruptions cutting off the right hand c. he had rather these were not truths than real truths he hath secret wishes that these truths were either raced out or else that they had been propounded with a greater latitude 2. Mistake is about Application He that can truly apply Christ to himself hath true faith in Christ for this is the Ratio formalis the special act of faith Now many an unbeleiver thinks he can apply Christ as well as any other Those in Luk. 13. 25 26 come to Christ with much seeming confidence as if they had been of intimate acquaintance with him Lord Lord open to us and yet never had saving faith in him I shall here shew a threefold difference between the Application of a Beleiver and an unbeleiver 1. The Application of saving faith is from something of Christ wrought savingly within him He finds the Image of Christ in him he hath well grounded hopes of it and therefore applies Christ to him As Thomas in another case sees the print of the nails and then saith My Lord and my God So a true Beleiver sees upon his soul the print of the nails the dyings of the Lord Jesus the Characters of his death burial resurrection and therefore applies him to himself Whereas the application of Christ made by an unbeleiver is meerly from that discovery which is made of Christ in the Scripture and not from any intrinsecal worth which he finds upon his own heart vide Galat. 2 20. there you have Pauls application I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me c. What ground can you shew within you why Christ is yours 2. The Application of saving faith is alwayes agreeable to the tenor of the Promise and Covenant wherein Christ is held forth Vide Ezek. 36. 25 26 27. Faith applies the grace of Christ as well as the merit of Christ applies Christ for sanctification as well as for justification applies the water as well as the bloud the application which an unbeleiver makes is onely or chiefly of the comforts and of the purchase of Christ c. he applies the Merit of Christ not the Spirit of Christ the Promises not the Commands c. whereas true faith applies him universally his Kingly and Prophetical Office as well as his Priestly vide Phil. 3. 9 10. 3. The Application of faith is alwayes accompanied with self-Resignation The true Beleiver doth as chearfully surrender himself to Christ as applies Christ to himself So did the Apostle Phil. 3. 12. he would not onely apprehend but be apprehended And so the Church Cant. 2. 16. My beloved is mine and I am his He doth not onely apply the sin offering but he offers also the burnt Offering The Apostle Rom. 12. 1. would have Christians to yeeld themselves to God c. The unbeleiver he onely applies Christ to himself he doth not voluntarily yeeld himself to Christ he doth not dedicate himself to Christ by holiness and obedience 2. I shall now give some positive evidences of true faith I shall ground them upon several places of Scripture 1. That of the Apostle Acts 15. 9. Purifying your hearts by faith Heart purity is a necessary concomitant and consequence of saving faith Jesus Christ saith the Apostle is made unto us of God wisdom righteousness sanctification c. 1 Cor. 1. 30. If by faith thou hast Christ for thy righteousness he is also thy sanctification He whose heart is unpurified is destitute of the grace of faith Now the purification of the heart may be known by these five evidences 1. A purified heart is a heart that truly bewails all pollutions and impurities The most clean heart hath some pollution unmortified but he hath no defilement unlamented his stains and sores and spots are his greatest burthen his heaviest sorrow Pauls body of death put him to more grief than all the troubles which befel him in his whole life Rom. 7. 23 24. Is it so with thee Dost thou bewail the uncleanness of thy heart cordially sadly secretly Thou wouldest gladly be delivered from it Thou canst neither eat nor drink nor sleep quietly with it The impurity of thy heart turns thy sweetnesses into bitternesse This is certainly an effect of true faith Vide Zech. 12. 10. Looking upon Christ is beleiving in him this beleiving is expressed by sorrowing And if thou wouldest in truth be rid of thy corruptions thou wilt then diligently make use of all meanes be they never so painfull never so costly that may cleanse them away 2. A purified heart will kindly accept of brotherly reproof for his impurity or any advice that may make him clean He will love a person better all his life for any faithful rebuke or counsel Psalm 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness c. David shews the purity of his heart by his accepting the rebukes of Abigail 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. A heart that is purified is best pleased with that Sermon that comes closest to his conscience he would have all his heart discovered to himself Hide nothing from me said Eli to Samuel 1 Sam. 3. 17. Yea he begs that God would search his heart for him Psalm 139. 23 24. Whereas a heart that is unclean cares not to have any spot discovered he either openly flies in the face or else secretly hates
thy precepts and turned my feet to thy Commandments saith David Psal 119. 59. he that forgets Gods Testimonies will soon be drawn aside from the way of obedience but he that carefully remembers these will walk holily David gives this as the reason why the godly man doth not walk in the way of the ungodly nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seat of scorners because his delight is in the word of God and therein he meditates day and night Psal 1. 2 3. 2 Cor. 8. 18. 7 Study carefully the great and many priviledges which are instated upon you in and by the Covenant of Grace The end of all the Dignities confer'd by God upon men is in respect of them that they should walk in newness of life Election is for this end Eph. 1. 4. God hath chosen men in Christ before the foundation of the world not because they were holy but that they should be holy and without blame before him in love The end of Redemption is holiness of life Luk. 1. 75. Christ came as much to redeem the people from iniquity as from hell Tit. 2. 14. The end of Adoption is that we should be harmless and blameless the Sons of God without rebuke that we should live as Gods children and walk as Children of the Light The end of our Justification is Sanctification of Life many leud and ignorant Christians argue from priviledges to laziness they continue in sinne because grace abounds But the Scripture argues from great priviledges to purity of life vid. Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore Brethren c. The particular mercy he had spoken to is the great mercy of a sinners justification by faith Of this he had been disputing in the former Chapter In the 12. Chapter he comes to make the main Use of it which is an Exhortation to Holiness And from the same Doctrine Ephes 4. 1. he draws the very same inference I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you c. The end of all the Promises is holiness of life 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore these Promises c. The Apostle Peter from many other rare priviledges drawes the same conclusion 1 Pet. 2. 9 10 11 12. Dishonesty of Conversation doth not onely convince a Christian of unthankfulness for his priviledges but it is a shame to his priviledges 8. Meditate much on the unrighteousness of your former conversation when ye knew not God It is the mind of God that Christians after their effectual conversion should remember their unregenerate condition Ephes 2. 11 12. There are many good uses which a Christian may make of such meditations it makes him thankful c. Amongst others this is one it will be a good help to promote his holy walking after Conversion Such meditations will bring to his mind 1. The filthiness of sinne which will set his heart against it And 2. they will let him see how much time he wasted in sinne which will be a great help to make him more careful for the future over his wayes This is laid down in many places of Scripture as a help to holy walking vid 1 Pet. 4. 3. the Apostle in the second verse exhorts them to cease from sinne and his Argument is because that was their practice in the days of their vanity when they walked after the course of the world And we have the same Argument 1 Pet. 1. 14. Not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance This is one Reason why such as have been most notoriously wicked before Conversion are sometimes more then ordinarily holy after Conversion When sinne hath abounded before Regeneration Grace hath much more abounded in them after Conversion Mary Magdalen one of the most noted sinners of her age our Saviour cast 7 Devils out of her and after her Calling one of the most exact Christians of her time You read very much of her forwardness and zeal and holiness she is usually put in the first place whereas she is spoken of vid. Matth. 27. 55 56. Matth. 28. 1. In the end of the Sabbath came Mary Magdalen c. Joh. 20. 18. Mary Magdalen came and told the Disciples c. One ground of this is because they reflect upon their former Conversation and because they find that exceeding vile therefore they are so very careful now to walk with all exactness As those that have been most prodigal when they are reclaimed are ordinarily very frugal c. 9 Meditate on the many engagements which lie upon you for holy walking You all lie under Sacramental Bonds when you were baptized then you entred into an Engagement Oath of Allegeance that you would give up your selves in obedience unto God The Apostle upon this ground argues with the Romanes Rom. 6. 2 3 4 5 6. Baptism is a holy Bond which though it be but once entred into yet the obligation of it remains for ever upon the soul And what that obligation is you have Mat. 28. 19 20. Teuching you to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded This Baptismal Vow you have renewed at the Lords Table many a time on your sick beds or in the day of other troubles Looking often upon these will be very helpful The thoughtfull remembrance of Engagements were very vsefull to David for this purpose I have sworn it and I will perform it to keep thy righteous judgments Psal 119. 106. violating of holy Vows breaking of religious Covenants though the matter of them be but civil is a sinne of a high nature Ezek. 17. per totum especially ver 18 19 20 21. So Ezek. 34. 17 18 19. 10 Get much of the holy reverential fear of God into your spirits Fearing of God and eschewing of sinne are frequently joyned together in Scripture so are fearing of God and keeping of his Commandements Job 1. 1. Eccles 12. 13. The Apostle makes the want of Gods fear to be the in-let of all unrighteousness and dissolute practices Rom. 3. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. And the Apostle makes this fear of God to be the means of purifying the life 2 Cor. 7. 1. If the heart grow Fearless the life will grow Profane Prov. 28. 14. 11 Study and think well upon the Doctrine of Death and of Judgment Look upon Death as neer at hand let the sound of the Passing-Bell and the sight of the Grave be continually in your Senses and let the sound of the last trumpet be in your ears Awake ye dead and come to judgment Forgetfulness of Death and Judgment is the cause of so much licentiousness and the remembrance of these are of great force to keep the life holy see 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. and ver 10 11. Seeing all these things must be dissolved c. 12 Consider the unloveliness of unholy practices in other men Behold the Drunkard in his vomit and the Adulterer in his uncleanness c. This will work in your Soules hatred against sin and zeal for
the contrary vertues 13 Look very narrowly to the heart the inward man It 's impossible to preserve Holiness of life if Corruptions be not dayly purged out of the heart Let the blood of Jesus be sprinkled upon the heart every day purge the Conscience and then the Conversation will be kept clean also Out of the abundance of the heart c. Matth. 15. 18. EPHES. 6. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lect. 14. Janu. 9. 1649. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN these words we have the third piece of the spiritual Armour The preparation of the Gospel of peace In which we shall consider of these three things 1. The Epithite given to the Gospel Evangelium pacis 2. The Armour it self The preparation of the Gospel 3. The Subject of this Armour the part of the body upon which it is to be put the Feet I shall at this time onely go over the first of these viz. The Commendation given to the Gospel And it teacheth us this lesson viz. That the Gospel is a Gospel of peace Doctrine In the opening of which Doctrine I shall 1. shew you what the Gospel is 2. What peace this is 3. How the Gospel is a Gospel of peace 4. Answer an Objection against it 1. The Gospel according to the notation of the word signifieth good news glad tydings so the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the hebrew word Desporah signifieth it is here used to set forth the joyful tidings of salvation by Jesus Christ first preached to Adam in Paradise by God himself Gen. 3. 15. afterwards by the Prophets by Jesus Christ himself and his Apostles The Doctrine of free grace and obtaining righteousness by faith in Christ without the works of the Law It s called in the Scripture sometimes The word of Gods grace Acts 14. 3. because it doth reveal the riches of Gods grace to the children of men for their salvation Sometimes it s called the word of faith Rom. 10. 8. because it holds out faith in Christ as the instrumental cause of our salvation Sometimes it s called the grace of God Titus 2. 11. Sometimes it s called the mystery of Christ Ephes 3. 4. because it doth reveal Jesus Christ to the sons of men in his person natures offices benefits conveyed by him to such as beleive Sometimes the hidden wisdom of God 1 Cor. 2. 7. It s wisdom because it contains the wise design and plot of God for the saving of sinners And its hidden because it was from eternity hidden in the secret counsels of God till he was pleased to make it known to Adam and because Rom. 16. 25. it is still hidden from many who have not the knowledge of it and because many who know it in the letter do not savingly embrace and entertain it Sometimes it s called the word of life Phil. 2. 16. because by the right beleiving of it men are translated from the state of death to the state of life Sometimes the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3. 8. because in this shop it is that all those riches are laid abroad to the view of men Sometimes it s called the good word of God Hebr 6 5. Every word of God is good the Law is a good word all the threatnings are good they come from him who is good the matter of them is good the end of them is good but the Gospel is by way of eminency called the good word because the greatest goodness and mercy that God ever manifested to his creatures is contained in the Gospel God was very good to man in creation the goodness of God was expressed in the Covenant of works but the highest expression of goodness and love lies in the Gospel And in the Text it s called the Gospel of peace the reason of which we shall see when we have done with the next particle viz. 2. What peace is here meant There is a threefold peace 1. Peace with the Creature of this Eliphaz in Job speaks Chap. 5. 23. Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be in peace with thee He is said to be at peace with the Creatures who is in such a condition that no Creature can be an instrument of his hurt but all creatures are instruments of his good and serviceable to him for his advantage All things are yours things present and things to come 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. 2. Peace with a mans self Peace of conscience of this the Apostle speaks Rom. 15. 13. The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing This peace is a fruit and consequence of faith of this our Saviour speaks Math. 11. 28. Come unto me c. and ye shall find rest to your soules When the soul apprehending the pardon of sin and assurance of Gods love is freed from those fears and horrors which attend unjustified sinners 3. Peace with God Which is nothing else but Reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ of which the Apostle speaks Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ For the understanding of this we are to consider man in his threefold state 1. In the state of Innocency In this state man had peace and communion with God God and man were united in a Covenant of friendship There was nothing but Amicableness between God and man man was able to know God as the chief good To will God as the last end of all To give God the glory of his works actively To converse with God There was nothing in him opposite to God or in God till man by sin on his part had made a breach 2. In the state of corruption or the fallen estate of man This is a state of enmity and wrath God and man in this state are at deadly fewd one with another They are said to be afarre off from God they are said to be without hope and without God in the world Ephes 2. 12. Sin hath made such a wide distance that there is no hopes for God and man to come together as friends untill some meanes be used for the removal of this distance This is the state in which all unregenerate persons are The wrath of God abideth on them John 3. 36. In this state man is opposite to God His nature is opposite to God His wayes are contrary to God His heart is full of hatred to him And in this state God hath put man under Rom. 1. 30. the curse and is resolved to have his envy out of him 3. In the state of Graee or regeneration This is a state of reconciliation It consists in these four things 1. The wrath and displeasure on Gods part is quite done away so that he loves the persons and carrieth no indignation in his breast against them Some think that there is no reall wrath in God towards the vessels of election while they are in their natural
covenant of peace So Manasseh c. But I come to positive evidences 1. He that is at peace with God is at war with sin with all sin and that continually Hatred of sin is a sure evidence of Reconciliation with God I will hearken what the Lord will say for he will speak peace to his Servants but let not them return again to folly Psal 85. 8. Folly and sin are Synonyma in Scripture as holiness and wisdom are And he that hath heard God speaking peace will be very careful of not returning to sin A person at peace with God may act sinfully but he hates it even when he acts it he mourns for it he useth all meanes to mortifie and destroy it I will heal their back-slidings I will love them freely c. Ephraim shall say what have I to do any more with Idols Hosea 14. 4 8. Yea the soul shall be ashamed of its sinful courses when God and it are reconciled There are some who think that sorrow and shame for sin are unfit for a state of Reconciliation and that its a disparagement to the state of Reconciliation to be exercised with Humiliation whereas indeed its the proper fruit of it Mary Magdalen never abounded so much in sorrow and shame for sin as after God had spoken peace to her she wept much because much was forgiven her and it s prophesied of Jerusalem that shame and grief should fill her heart and face when God was reconciled to her Ezekiel 16. 61 63. Put this home 2. He that is at peace with God is at peace with the Word of God and every part of it Reconciliation with God brings forth Reconciliation with the Scriptures with the Precepts as well as with the Promises He is at peace with every duty enjoyned in the Book of God While the soul is at enmity with God it is at enmity with the world at least with some part of it This Command he cannot agree with this is too strict the other is too harsh This is an hard saying who can hear it The Apostle describes such men by their contentiousness and disobedience Rom. 2. 8. but when God hath taken away the enmity of the heart all these contentions against the Scripture are allayed he now hides the Word within his heart he loves it and prizeth it more than his appointed food it s the joy and rejoycing of his heart sweeter to his taste than the honey and honey-comb The Law is written in his heart now it s his bosome friend the man of his counsel 3. He that is at peace with God is never so well as when he is in Gods presence He loves to be where God is Reconciliation will manifest it self by desire of communion Enemies care not for the presence one of another but friends rejoyce to converse together Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest Cantic 1. 6. A soul reconciled is described by this that he is made nigh Ephes 2. 13. The soul before reconciliation is farre off from God farre off in regard of Gods acceptance and farre off in regard of affection and desire but whensoever reconciled then the distance is removed and he is brought nigh nigh in regard of relation and nigh in regard of affection and union he takes pleasure in those places in those exercises in that society where God is graciously present Put this home Can you say as Psal 84. 1. Psal 42. 1. Psal 63. 1 2. 4. He that is reconciled to God can never be contented when any breach is made till it be again made up A soul at peace with God may by sin loose the sense of it and thereby breed strangeness between God and himself But he cannot be at rest till the cloud be removed David Psalm 51. 12. he had assurance of pardon before The Lord hath put away thy sin c. 2 Sam. 12. 13. but Gods face was not as it had wont to be towards him he could not see those smiles which he was wont to behold in his fathers face he could not discern the light of Gods countenance as before this makes him cry out Restore c. Thus it was with the Church in those remarkable places Cant. 3. inite and Cant. 5. 2 3 4 5. She was in a very sad condition till she had got the fight of his face A reconciled person is afraid of doing any thing that may cause strangeness and very restless till any breach may be removed 5. He that is at peace with God is at peace with all the servants of God He is a true cordial friend unto all those whom God loves and an adversary to all those whom God hates Doe not I love them that love thee and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee Psal 139. 21 22. He will not say a confederacy to any who hate God in any of their sinful wayes 6. He that is at peace with God is a man universally reformed Renovation is alwayes a fruit of Reconciliation Inwardly in heart will conscience understanding Outwardly in words and works is he renewed according unto the Scriptures God never makes peace with any soul but he makes that soul like himself Old things are past away and all things are become new This is the Apostles evidence 2 Cor. 5. 17 18. USE III. Exhortation Let all those who live under the Gospel of peace labour for an interest in this peace We pray you in Christ stead be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. Mot. 1. Without peace there can be no glory Reconciliation is a necessary preparative to salvation God saves no enemies but by making of them friends Col. 1. 21. Mot. 2. He that is at peace with God here shall certainly be glorified with God hereafter Reconciliation is a harder work than salvation There is more difficulty to reconcile an enemy than to save a friend There is less opposition between grace and glory than between grace and nature the difference between those is but gradual but between the other specifical Hence the Apostle argues Rom. 5. 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Mot. 3. Peace with God is the foundation of peace with creatures and peace with conscience The creatures are by sin our enemies and nothing but peace with the Creator can make their enmity cease Vide Hosea 2. 18 19. When God is in covenant then are the creatures in Covenant so peace of conscience is a fruit of this peace He that is at peace with God hath a ground of peace with himself though he do not see it He that is at enmity with God hath no ground of peace though he think otherwise Conscience may be sleepily quiet but it is not truly peaceable Mot. 4. Peace with God will be your joy and rejoycing in all kind of outward evils Otherwise the Gospel of peace will be to
this Armour lies as to the resisting of temptation 1. These resolutions will exceedingly strengthen the soul in the day of temptation He that wants these shooes will be weak when Satan sets upon him whereas he that hath these upon his feet will be bold and valiant There is not any better bulwark in the day of battel then Resolution of heart before the day of battel Opposition may come suddenly and violently but it will not come so terrifyingly upon him that hath armed himself with Resolution to stand it out Our Saviour sets out this by a double Parable Luke 14. 28 29 30 31 32 33. which of you intending to build a Tower c. A man will never be able to finish that doth not resolve to be at the full cost of the building 2. These Resolutions will weaken and discourage Satan in his Assaults Where he shall perceive these shooes upon the feet of the soul he will be much danted and dishartened in his undertakings When the Rulers and Elders and Scribes the instruments of State saw the resolvedness of Peter and John to go on in their way notwithstanding all their threatnings and persecutions they were much astonished saith the Text Act. 4 13. and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus They thought that there was something more then man in them which made them so regardless of their power and this for the present abated their fury they threatened them and let them go v. 21. had they seen that they had been bare-footed their carriage would have been more fierce but seeing them shod with these shooes they were glad to be rid of them Information 1. This lets us see why it is that Vse 1. Apostates and Back-sliders are so easily carried captive by Satan in the day of temptation They want these shooes upon their feet and therefore they cannot stand The Heretick fals into the net of Satan because he wants the girdle of the Truth of Doctrine The hypocrite he fals because he wants the girdle of Sincerity The prophane person cannot stand because he wants the breast-plate and the Apostate is overcome because he is without the shooes of the preparation of the Gospel either he hath no resolution or no well-grounded resolution The Apostate is the stony ground he may hear the Word and receive it with joy but when persecution ariseth because of the Word he is presently offended Math. 13. 20 21. if you would be preserved from falling by temptation you must labour to be preserved from backsliding from profession 2. This lets us see that it is a difficult and hard thing to keep the right profession of the Gospel especially in times of opposition It were needless to commend this unto Christians if it were not an hard work to go on with it at such a time They all forsook him and fled Mar. 14 50. When storms were high and persecution hot the Disciples of Christ were offended he whose profession is but counterfeit will fall off quite he whose profession is in truth may be offended with Christ and his Gospel I note this for two reasons 1. That none might be too confident of themselves 2. That none be too censorious against those who retreat and shrink in such a time 3. The excellency of perseverance in the profession of the Gospel It s excellency as in other respects so in this appears clearly that its a mighty defence in the day of temptation 4. What cause they have to bless God who find such Resolutions wrought in their hearts These shooes are not onely their beauty but their safety How beautiful are thy feet with shooes O Princes Daughter Cant. 7. 1. Exhortation To perswade all Christians to Vse 2. arm themselves with these Resolutions Get these shooes upon your feet resolve that whatever trouble come whatsoever storms arise yet you will go through with your profession and never forsake it It is necessary for those that live in such black dayes as these of ours are to set themselves to this work The winds begin to grow loud the skie is dark and lowring persecutions may come suddenly and they are like to fall violently its time to get and necessary to keep these shooes on their feet I shall lay down something by way of Motives something by way of meanes 1. Mot. All the promises are made to them that persevere It is not he that beginneth but he that continueth unto the end that shall be saved Math. 10. 22. When the even was come the Lord of the vineyard saith unto the Steward Call the labourers and give them their hire Math. 20. 8. Nemo coronatur ante quintum Actum Be thou faithful unto the death and I will give thee the crown of life Rev. 2. 10. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for honour and glory and immortality eternal life Rom. 2. 7. 2. Mot. T is difficulty and opposition that distinguisheth true profefsion from false profession Math. 13. 20 21. A rotten ship may sail very fast and carry the passengers safe in a calm Sea but onely a sound vessel will hold out when tempests arise Persecutions are called the tryal of our faith 1 Pet. 1. 7. because when a soul is under persecutions then it appears whether his profession was gold or dross A temporary profession is like the house built upon the sand it stood all the summer time but when the winds blew and the rain came and the flouds lift up their voice then it fell Math. 7. 24 25 26 27. 3. Mot. Adhering to the profession of the Gospel in times of opposition doth most of all honour the Gospel Obed Edom honoured the Ark of God much by taking it into his house in a time of danger 2 Sam. 6. 9 10. It was no great thanks to David to fetch the Ark into the City of David when it brought prosperity with it v. 12. any one would entertain a prosperous Ark but he that is a right Christian will make room for it when it brings affliction 4. Mot. The Gospel will abundantly recompence all their sufferings The Ark did make good satisfaction to Obed Edom for taking it in in a boystrous time 2 Sam. 6. 11. It s a Gospel of comfort at every time but never so full of comfort as in a time of affliction As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ 2 Cor. 1. 5. The Gospel is alwayes a Gospel of peace but the peace of it is most discovered in a time of trouble He that forsaketh father or mother c. for my sake and the Gospel shall have an hundredfold in this world with persecution and in the world to come everlasting life Math. 19. 29. 5. Mot. All the sufferings which arise for the Gospel are for this end to try whether men will adhere to it or no. There must be heresies that they which are approved may be made manifest 2 Cor. 11. 19. 6.
but a dry barren shell unprofitable for nourishment but if you break the shell you shall find it full of most delicate nourishment The Grace of Hope to the outward appearance is like to a dry shall but if you open this shell you will find it full of most delicate nourishment We are upheld by Hope when we stand We rise by Hope when we are cast down We live by Hope We are saved by Hope It 's that which encourageth us to all Duties We pray in hope we hear in hope Take away Hope and the Soul will not be able to do any duty It 's that by which we bear all disappointments It 's a Sun in the darkest midnight Take away Hope and the Soul will be swallowed up with the least cross every wind will blow it down every wave will drown it every difficulty will overwhelm it It 's the Grace of Hope which holds the Chin above water in every trouble it s the grace of Hope by which we live in the want of present comforts Take away this Grace of Hope and all the Promises are but as withered grass and dry bones and empty vessels which cannot give satisfaction All disquietments and vexatious cares arise either from the want or the weakness of the Grace of Hope David chargeth all his disquietness upon this Psal 142. 11. Why art thou cast down O my soul why art thou vexed within me Hope in God for I shall yet praise him c. Hope settles the heart in every condition it turns darkness into light and storms into calmes and makes the shadow of death as the morning Tbou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Esa 26. 3. I am the larger in this because there is such a generall neglecting of the exercise of this Grace The Grace of Hope is almost lost Christians make but little use and very little account of it Faith is in some repute but Hope is buried whereas indeed Faith is not more excellent then Hope Hope begins where Faith ends 2. This lets us see why Satan uses so much endeavour to drive the servants of God into a state of desperation There are two great Rockes on which Satan labours to split the souls of men the one is upon the Rock of Presumption many souls perish this way The other is the Rock of Despair and there are many more then a few destroyed this way Judas and Cain and Saul fell by this Temptation My punishment is greater then I can bear saith Cain And Judas out of horrour of Conscience puts an end to his own life Mat. 27. 5. Satan is very busie in our age this way suggesting unto the hearts of men that salvation doth not belong to them We see there is reason why Satan should use his skill this way This is a Christians Head-piece and if he can but perswade him to cast off this he will very easily make a prey of him Despair of mercy is a greater sin then all other sins Judas despair was greater then his Treason First It 's derogatory to the Mercy of GOD for it calls in question his truth and goodness Secondly It 's derogatory to the Merits of Jesus Christ it calls in question the All-sufficiency of his bloud c. 3. That the assurance of Salvation is a Doctrine very profitable for Christians and very prejudicial to Satan If the hope of Salvation help a Christian in temptarion surely the assurance of it will much more help him in these Assaults The Papists look upon it as a great and groundlesse presumption for any man to talk of assurance of his salvation But we know from Scripture First That many have attained to assurance we know that if our Earthly Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God c. 2 Cor. 5. init Secondly That all the people of God are commanded to labour after the attainment of it 2 Pet. 1. 10. Thirdly That so many Evidences of a man that shall be saved are not laid down in vain The Scripture is full of the Characters of a person that shall be saved We know we are translated from Death to Life because we love the Brethren 1 Joh. 3. 14. Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. Fourthly That one great Office of the Spirit of God which dwelleth in the hearts of the regenerate is to seal them Ephes 1. 13. To testifie with their Spirits that they are the Children of God Rom. 8. 16. The Holy Ghost is a witnessing and sealing Spirit as well as a sanctifying Spirit a Spirit of Revelation as well as a Spirit of Grace Now the Argument is firm If the hope of Salvation be a Helmet to protect us then is the full Assurance of Salvation a helmet much more strong LECT XXII March 6. 1649. Exhortation 1. To all in generall Let this put all the Sons of men upon the getting of well-grounded hopes of salvation FOr the urging of this Exhortation these Vse 2. two things are to be opened viz. 1. To remove some false grounds of hope 2. To hold out some positive grounds upon which Salvation may be infallibly and certainly hoped for and expected 1. There are three false grounds upon which many are deceived viz. 1. Outward prosperity is no certain ground of salvation Many men do certainly conclude their Estate is good and that they shall be saved and that God doth undoubtedly love them with a saving love because their portion is fat in this world they have the blessing of God upon whatever they put their hands to God prospers them greatly in the world c. therefore they hope they shall be saved For the removing of this 1. Something is to be granted 2. Something to be denyed 1. It is to be granted That true piety and holiness is the high and ready way to outward prosperity 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is and of the life that is to come Many promises are made in the Scripture of these outward things to the godly as Prov. 3. 16. 17. Psal 112. 1 2 3. onely this promise is to be understood with this caution of Reference and subordination to their spirituall good This Caution is alwayes in Scripture to be understood when prosperity is promised to the godly and it is sometimes expressed as in Psal 34. 10. 2. It is to be denied that outward prosperity is any evidence of salvation And that I shall prove by these three Arguments 1. The worst of men have and may enjoy much of these things who shall never see salvation Mat. 16. 26 our Savior supposes there more then ever any man shall enjoy he that hath the whole world must have these four things 1. All the Riches Honours Pleasures of the world 2. A heart capable to take delight in all these 3. A time of enjoying these from the first man to the last
his heart taken up about this Duty he must prepare for it both matters for it and time for it he must so order his affairs that he may solemnly wait upon this work of prayer many Christians are so intangled about other things they do so watch for the matters of this life that they have no fit time for prayer 2. He must watch and observe those special seasons in which God doth move and stir up his heart to this Duty He must watch in Prayer that is he must watch against Drowsiness against Distractions and wandrings against whatsoever may divert him from prayer It is to be the care of a Christian that his heart may be composed in prayer that Satan may not take him off from the work he hath in hand Satan watcheth unto Temptation and watcheth In Temptation and if we do not watch both Into supplication and In supplication he will have a very great advantage against us your drowsie careless loose unsetled prayer is the way to encourage not to dishearten Satan 5. A conquering Prayer must be a persevering Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifieth such an invincible constancy and perseverance as will be beaten off by no kind of opposition or difficulty whatsoever This is required in many places Rom. 12. 12. Col. 4. 2. We must not onely pray for a day or a year and then cease our prayers must continue as long as the battel continues All victory is promised to him onely that perseveres Satan is never weary of tempting and we must never be weary of praying You must be still charging and discharging this Ordinance of Prayer as Satan is charging and discharging upon you by his Temptations Discontinuing of this may lose the battel The Apostle exhorts Christians to have a care that their prayers be not cut off 1 Pet. 3. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The cutting off prayer is as dangerous as the totall neglecting of prayer 6. A conquering Prayer must be a charitable prayer This is in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not as if we must pray for none but Saints God gives us leave to pray for all sinners except those who have sinned that unpardonable sinne Samuel prayed for Saul Abraham prayed for Ishmael c. 'T is not exclusive of others His meaning is we must pray for others especially for the Saints the Eye of Charity in this as in other pieces of it is to look first at the Saints The Saints are liable most of all to the violence of the same Temptation which we are lyable to The Saints being helped by our prayers will be the better able to pray for us and to help us in our Assaults by their prayers And besides Prayers for the Saints will engage God to hear the prayers that we make for our selves in our own Temptations I might add more Qualifications out of other Scriptures but I resolve not to go out of the Text. Thirdly Wherein the usefulness of Prayer as to the overcoming of Satan and his Temptations lyeth This I shall shew in these things viz LECT XXVI April 3. 1650. FIrst Prayer is the way to prevent Temptations from entring It doth make the soul in a manner impenetrable Matth. 26. 41. Watch and pray that ye enter not into Temptation Satans hands are tied up by the power of Prayer sometimes that he cannot shoot an Arrow of Temptation against the Soul Lead us not into temptation Mat. 6. 13. It 's a hard thing for Satan with all his wiles to make his fiery Darts fasten upon the Soul of a praying Christian Secondly Prayer is the way to pull out Satans Darts when they are fastened For 1. Prayer sets the blessed Trinity on work for the Souls assistance It engageth God to take our part in the day of battel When Moses held up his hands Israel prevailed when he let his hands down Amaleck prevailed Exod. 17. 11. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee Psal 50. 15. The Prayer of the Disciples did awake Jesus Christ and set him awork for them when the winds and waves did threaten shipwrack and present ruine Mat. 8. 24 25 26. When the waves and storms of Temptation threaten the ruine of the Soul Prayer awakes Christ and sets him on action for the Soules safety The prayer of Paul when he was actually engaged with Satan in a very hot Dispute brought him in assistance from Heaven I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me and he said My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness c. 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. Prayer brings in supply of assisting Grace 2. Prayer gives strength to all the other pieces of the Christian Armour It is reserved by the Apostle to the last place because both is an evidence we have the other because it is so helpfull to all the rest 1. It doth keep the Girdle of Truth upon the Loyns Holy Prayers are as the Clasps of this Girdle which tie it together and keep it from falling off 2. It is that which doth tie together the Breast-plate of Righteousness 3. It keeps on the Shooes of the preparation of the Gospel upon our feet Take away the strings of Prayer and these shooes will soon slip off the feet 4. It strengthens the Shield of Faith and keeps it from breaking I have prayed for thee that thy Faith do not fail If either Christs prayer for us or our prayer for our selves fail the Shield of Faith will fail also Jude 20. 5. It keeps Hope alive he that is most frequent in prayer will be most lively in hoping 6. It puts an edge to the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God stirres us up to prayer and then Prayer makes the Word sharp and prevalent 3. Prayer expels those Corruptions which weaken and prejudice the Soul and give advantage to Satan in the day of Temptation The strength of sinne in the soul is the strength of Satan all his advantage is from our own Corruptions Now Prayer doth help on the work of Mortification and Sanctification it purgeth the Conscience it purifieth the heart it fastens grace in the root and increaseth it in the branch c. Every holy Prayer pares off something from that body of Death which is Satans Armory and strong hold in us 4. Prayer adds boldness and courage Information 1. This lets us see the reason why Satan is such an enemy to Prayer That he useth all means to take off the servants of God from this Duty the Scripture tells and the experiences of all the people of God make it good What distractions and disturbances doth he ordinarily work in the hearts of men when they are employed in this service The Saints of God never find him more busie with them then at such a time When Paul was going to prayer a Spirit of Divination meets him and labours to divert his thoughts Act. 16. 16. A Child of God can never