sinck as Lead in the bottome of the Sea which hath no consistence till it come to the Center to Hell Did you ever feele the joy of the Spirit in holy duties after inward striving against your lusts and getting ground of them this is a certaine signe that God hath sealed you But you will say How can that be a seale A seale continues with the thing but the joy of the Spirit comes after the work of the Spirit and abides not with us I answer though wee have not alwayes the joy of the Spirit yet we have the Spirit of joy which though it be not knowne by joy yet may be discerned by its operation and working A Christian may have a gracious work of the Spirit in him and yet want the delight and joy of the Spirit therefore when that failes look to thy sanctification and see what resemblance of Christ is formed in thee See 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heart be humble and broken if thou have a heavenly disposition like to thy Saviour when the joy of the Spirit ceaseth goe to the work of the Spirit and from the work of the Spirit to the voyce of the Spirit Canst thou cry to God with strong supplications or if thou canst not pray with distinct words canst thou mourne and groane The Spirit helps our infirmities when wee know not what to ask This sighing groaning is the voyce of Gods Spirit which hee will regard wheresoever he finds it This made Iob in his distresse to swim above water If one be in the midst of extremity and can seriously seek to God it is an undoubted signe that such a one is sealed especially when the corruption of his soule joynes with Sathans temptations the more to afflict him for a sinner in the midst of stormes clouds of darknesse then to cast anchor and quiet his soule in Christ argues great faith So when a temptation closes with our corruption and affliction yeelds ground to further the temptation then to pray and rely securely upon God is a gracious signe for Sathan useth the afflictions we are in as temptations to shake our faith as thus Canst thou be a child of God and be so exercised so vilified so persecuted Didst thou belong to Christ would ever these crosses losses and miseries have befallen thee deceive not thy selfe Thus affliction is a weapon to temptation for Sathan to help his fiery darts with he having such a dangerous party in us as our own corruption doth us the more harme continually How shall a man know whether God hath a part in him I answer If he can run against the streame if he find his soule resisting Sathans temptations raising him above afflictions standing out and combating with corruptions to the uttermost whē he can check his carnal heart that drawes him downwards saying Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me it is a good signe David found inward corruptions and outward afflictions joyning with Sathans temptations to depresse his spirit hereupon he chides his owne soule Why is it thus with thee why art thou dejected in this manner and then he layes a charge upon it Trust in God Whatsoever hardship wee meet with in the world yet there is hope in God still though we can find little comfort below yet there are rivers of consolation above it argues a gracious heart to quiet ones selfe in God in the worst times I beseech you let us labour to have our soules sealed with the Spirit of God to have further and clearer evidence of our estate in grace it is a blessed thing to have Christ live in us the enemies of our salvation are exceeding many and how soone death or judgement may ceaze us wee know not God will set none at his right hand but his Sheep those that have his owne Image on them his best Sheep have no outward mark but an inward the world sees not their beautie The Kings daughter is all glorious within How comfortably will the soule commend it self to Christ when it finds it selfe stamped with the Spirit of Christ when he can chearefully say Lord Jesus receive my soule thou that hast redeemed me by thy bloud and sealed me by thy Spirit acknowledge thine owne likenesse in me though it be not as it should be yet there is somwhat of thine in me Beloved wee must not give false evidence of our selves as wee must not against others what a comfort hath a sealed soul in the houre of death and in all extremities what a difference is there betweene such a soule and others in the time of affliction as in the time of pestilence warre and persecution for Christ The soul that is sealed knowes that hee is marked out for happinesse in the world to come Whatsoever befalls him in this life hee knowes that God in all confusion of times knows his own Seale and that his destroying Angell shal spare and passe over those that are marked Ezech. 9. And though our bodies escape not yet our soules shall Iosias wee see was taken away from the evill to come and Lot was delivered from the judgement of the Sodomites If wee partake not of the sinnes of the wicked wee shall never partake of their plagues God hath a speciall care of his little ones in this life and if hee take them away yet their death is pretious in his sight hee will not part with them but upon speciall consideration he sees if they live it will be worse for them their pretious soules are in continuall danger hee sees it is best for them to be gathered to God and the soules of perfect ones in heaven therefore hee provides a shelter to free them from all stormes on earth And as hee hath an eye over them in regard of outward miseries so in respect of spirituall corruption and infection as Revel 7. Gods holy ones were sealed so many of such a Tribe and so many of such a Tribe to signifie that God hath alwayes some that hee will keepe and preserve from the leaprous contagion of sinne and Antichrist even in evill times God hath his little flock still In the obscure ages of the Church 900 yeares after Christ when there was little learning and goodnesse in the world and Egyptian darknes had over-spred the earth God had alwayes sealed ones marked out for himselfe whom he preserved from the danger of dark times why then should wee be afraid of evill tidings Let any affliction or death it selfe come Christ will know his own stamp in us he hath a book of remembrance for those that are his and when hee gathers his jewells they will bee highly set by God in common calamities suffers his luggage wicked men to goe to wrack but he will secure his jewels his darlings what ever come of it labour therefore to bee a sealed person But you will say what shall I account of my self if there bee
suffered Adam to have fallen but for his owne further glory in the manifestation of his justice and mercy and for the greater felicity of his servants in Christ their Mediatour The next spirituall evill is the corruption of nature remaining in all mankinde howsoever broken and subdued in the Lords deere ones this worketh for the best to them after this manner First it serveth to make us see and know we are kept by God how that we are not the keepers of our owne selves but are kept by his power through faith unto salvation For were it not that God upholds and sustaines us our corruptions would soone overturn us but the sight of corruption being sanctified to the soule causeth us to ground our comfort out of our selves in Christ and no whit to rely on any thing that is in us Our corruptions are also good to abase the pride of our natures and let us see the naughtinesse of our spirits that we may be humbled before GOD. And it is good we should have something within us to make us weary of the world else when wee have run out our race we shal be unwilling to depart hence Now our bondage to this naturall corruption serves exceedingly to make us mourne for our sinfull disposition and hunger after our God to be joyned with him as we see in S. Pauls exam ple Rom. 17. where finding the rebellion of his nature and the strise that was in him the flesh lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh he cryes out saying Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death and seeketh to God in Christ for mercy strait Sometimes God suffers corruption to break out of us that we mayknow our selves the better and because corruption is weakned not only by smothering but many times by having a vent whereupon grace stirs up in the soule a fresh hatred and revenge against it and lets us see a necessity of having whole Christ not only to pardon sinne but to purge and cleanse our defiled natures But yet that which is ill it selfe must not be done for the good that comes by it by accident this must be a comfort after our surprizals not an encouragement before It is our great consolation that our nature is perfect in Christ who hath taken our nature upon him and satisfied Divine justice not only for the sinne of our lives but for the sin of our natures who will finish his owne worke in us and never give over till by his Spirit he hath made our natures holy and pure as his owne till he hath taken away not only the reigne but the very life and being of sinne out of our hearts To which end he leaves his Spirit and truth in the Church to the end of the world that the seed of the Spirit may subdue the seed of the Serpent in us and that the Spirit may be a never failing spring of al holy thoughts desires and endeavours in us and dry up the contrary issue and spring of corrupt nature Lastly it is good that corruption should still remaine in us that the glory of God may the more appeare when as Satan that great and strong enemy of mankinde shall be foiled and overturned by a weak and poore Christian who is full of corruptions and that through the strength of faith though mixed with much distrust for a Christian in the state of sinne and corruption to overcome the great adversary of mankinde what a wonderment is it It tendeth much to the shame and dishonour of that fiery Dragon that weake and sinfull man should be his conquerour Oh how it confounds him to think that a graine of Mustardseed should bee stronger than the Gates of Hell that it should be able to remove Mountaines of oppositions and temptations cast up by Satan and our rebellious hearts betweene God and us Abi meleck could not endure that it should be said a Woman had slaine him and it must needs be a torment to Sathan that a weake Child a decrepid old man should by a spirit of faith put him to flight A third kinde of spirituall ill â—f sin are the things that issue out of this cursed stock and those are either inward or outward For inward sins they are eithers errours or doubt ings or pride or wrath or such like And first for doubtings of the truth this makes Gods servants often more resolute to seek and search out the same and to stand afterwards more firme and couragious for it For if wee doubted not of things we should not afterwards bee put out of doubt nor seek to be better grounded and instructed in them The Corinthians doubted once of the Resurrection but were ever after better resolved in that Doctrine the benefit whereof hath much redounded to the Churches good ever since Thomas had the like wavering disposition but this doubting more manifested the truth Luther being a Monk at the first and not fully grounded in the Doctrine of the Gospell did therefore suspect himselfe the more and wished all men after him to reade his writings warily The Doctrine of the Trinity hath formerly been much doubted of and therefore hath bin with the greater paines and study of worthy men then living in the Church more evidently prooved And when the Pelagians grew into Heresies they were by S. Augustine gainesayd and very strongly withstood So the doctrine of the Church of Rome being branched into divers erronious opinions and broached to the great hurt and prejudice of Christians hath occasioned the truth of God against them to bee the more excellently cleered and made knowne For when Religion is oppugned it is time then to hold fast as the Apostle S. Iude saith with both hands the Word and to fight for the faith that so wee may know both what to hold and upon what ground we oppose Heresie Now for inward sinnes as anger covetousnesse distrust and such like these often proove advantagious to the Saints their corruptions are a meanes of their humiliation Paul and Barnabas having a breach betweene them were so exasperated that they forsook each others company by which means it came to passe that the Church was more instructed than before And hence wee may see what the best men are in themselves If Luther had had no infirmities how would men have attributed to him above measure as we see they were ready to sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas which shewes us that even the distempers and weaknesses of Gods servants are disposed by Divine Providence to their eternall welfare Yea God often suffereth his children to fall into some outward grosse sinnes that by meanes thereof they might bee humbled and abased and in the end be cured of that provoking sinne of being proud in spirit The falling of Gods children doth much deject them and bring them upon their knees with shame It makes them gentle and meek in the reprehension of their brethren for having
grace he improves his abilities to glorious uses esteeming things below too meane for him Grace is a wondrous pleasant thing offensive to none but to wicked men that have no savour of God or goodnesse it sweetens the soule makes it delectable for Christ his holy Spirit to lodge in as in a Garden of spices A gracious man that hath subdued his corruptions is wondrous amiable both to himselfe and to the Communion of Saints his heart is as fine silver every thing is sweet that comes from him grace is full of comfort to a mans own conscience the sense of which enlargeth the soule to all holy services Fourthly an ointment hath another property it consecrates persons to holy uses Anointed persons are raised above the ordinary ranke The graces of Gods spirit elevate men above the condition of others with whom they live Anointed persons are sacred persons they are inviolable Touch not mine anointed and doe my Prophets no harme we wrong the apple of Gods eye we offer indignity to Christ himselfe if we hurt these Indeed nothing can hurt them but God by his over ruling power turnes all for their good Lastly an ointment is a royall liquor it will bee above all so the graces of Gods Spirit where they are will be uppermost they will guide and governe all As if a man have excellent parts grace will rule these and make them serviceable to Christ his truth and members If we have weaknesse and corruption grace will subdue it by little and little and never leave conflicting till it hath got the victory What are our souls without Gods anointing Dead stinking offensive to God to good men and to our selves we cannot see with peace the visage of our owne soules who can reflect seriously into his heart and life without horror that hath no grace A man that sees his conscience awakened without this anointing what is he surely as the body without the soule it is not all the excellencies of the soule laid upon a dead body or all the goodly ornaments that bedeckt it can keep it from stinking and being a loathsome object because it wants the soule to quicken and enliven it to good imployments of it selfe it is but a peece of earth all the vigor and life that the body hath is communicated from the soule they are beholding to our soules for many things Put the richest ornaments whatsoever upon the body and not the Spirit of grace upon the soule to cherish and refresh the same that it may appeare lovely in Gods sight all is to no purpose Likewise this anointing hath relation to the persons anointed Kings Priests and Prophets Christ is primarily anointed and all our grace is derived from him hee teacheth us divine things by a Divine light The poorest Christian in the world whose heart is right with God sees good things with such convincing love that he imbraces them and ill things with such a convincing hatred that he abhors them A man that lives without God in the world may talke but he cannot doe he may speak of death but he dares not die he trembles to thinke of the last tribunall and of resigning his soule into the hands of his Maker such an one may discourse of suffring but when it comes to the point his heart failes him oh how he shrinkes when danger approacheth what indirect courses will hee take to save his skin how hardly is corrupt selfe brought under how heavily doe men come off in this point of doing and suffering for Christ laying downe all at his feet and resolving to be disposed of at his pleasure in every thing Men speak much of patience and selfe-deniall but they do not practise them these vertues shine not forth in their conversation which is the shame of Religion only a true Christian hath the right knowledge of the doing of things and is able to speak a word in due season to reprove to admonish to comfort every member in the communion of Saints hath some qualification for the good of the whole body A faithfull man is likewise spiritually anointed a Priest to stand before God Almighty he poures out his soul for himself for others having Gods eare open at all times to his suits Every sincere Christi an is a favourite in heaven he hath much credit there which hee improves for the welfare of the Church here below And hee keepes himselfe as a Priest unspotted of the world a true Christian is taught of God and knowes the meaning of that Law of his which prohibiteth Priests so much as to touch defiled things therefore he studies innocency he runs not after the course of the multitude neither is carried away with the streames of the times he will not converse familiarly with those that may staine him but so farre as his calling leads him lest he should therby contaminate his spirit A Christian Priest hath his heart alwayes to the Holy of Holies that so he may offer up thankes and praise to God and offer up himselfe a sacrifice to him his endeavour is to kill and slay those beasts those lusts that lurk in his heart contrary to the Almighty Lastly he that is anointed by the Spirit is a King in regard of his great possessions for all are ours things present and things to come life and death prosperity and adversity all help us to Heaven Evill things are ours in advantage and successe though in disposition they be not ours but have a hostil disposition in thē God over-powers the evil of things and gives a Christian a living principle of grace to suck sweet out of sowre draw good out of evill What a King is this that even the most terrible things are at his command and work for the best unto him He conquers and brings under his greatest enemies and feares neither death or judgement nor the vengeance to come knowing God in Christ to bee his reconciled Father he rests assured all things else will be will be at peace with him Others have Kingdomes out of themselves but in thēselves they are slaves Every lust leads them away Captive A Christian is such a King as hath a Kingdome within himselfe hee hath peace and joy and rest from base allurements and terrours of conscience hee walks by rule and therfore knowes how to governe all the glory of his Maker is the chiefe thing hee eyes and to that hee referres every action Who hath annointed us and sealed us Annointing and sealing goe together the same God annoints us doth also seale us Both are to secure us of our happy condition Now Christ is the first sealed Iohn 6. Him hath God the Father sealed God hath set Christ a part from others hath distinguished him and set a stamp upon him to be the Messiah by the graces of the spirit whereof he was richly beautified and by many miracles whereby he shewed that he was the Sonne of God by his resurrection from the dead by his calling of
the Gen tiles and many other things Christ being sealed himselfe he sealed all that he did for our Redemption with his bloud and hath added for the strengthening of our faith outward seales the Sacraments to secure his love more firmly to us But in this place another manner of sealing is to be understood For here is not meant the sealing of Christ but the sealing of us that have communion with him The same spirit that seales the Redeemer seales the redeemed What is the manner of our sealing by the spirit Sealing we know hath divers uses First of all It doth imprint a likenesse of him that doth seale when the Kings Image is stamped upon the wax every thing in the wax answers to that in the seale face to face eye to eye body to body So wee are said to be sealed when we carrie in our soules the Image of the Lord Jesus for the spirit sets the stamp of Christ upon every true Convert there is the likenesse of Christ in all things to be found in him As the Child answers the Father foot for foot finger for finger in proportion but not in quantity So it is in the sealing of a beleever there is a likenesse in the soule that is sealed by the spirit to the Lord Jesus there is understanding of the same heavenly supernaturall truthes there is a judging of things as Christ judgeth a loving of that which he loves and a hating of that which hee hates a rejoycing to doe that which he delights in and a griefe to commit any thing that displeaseth his Majestie every affection of the soul is carried that way that the affections of our blessed Saviour are carried in proportion every thing in the soule is answerable to him in its degree There is no grace in Christ but there is the like in every Christian in some measure The obedience of Christ to his Father even to the death is to be found in every true Christian The humility whereby Christ abased himselfe it is in every renued heart Christ works in the soule that receives him a conformity to himselfe The soule that beleeve that Christ hath loved him and done such great things for him is ambitious to expresse Christ in all his wayes Being once in Christ we shall delight to be transformed more and more into him To beare the Image of the second Adam upon our breasts to make it appeare that Jesus Christ lives in us and that wee live not to our selves but to him that died for us to be meeke and heavenly minded as hee was talking and discoursing of spirituall things going about doing good every where active for God fruitfull in holinesse doing receiving all the good we are able drawing others from this world to meditate of a better estate labouring for the advancement of Gods Kingdome and approving our selves to him this is one use of sealing to imprint a likenesse A second use of a Seale is distinction Sealing is a stamp upon one thing among many it distinguisheth christians from others as we shall see after Againe it serves for appropriation men seale those things that are their owne Merchants we see set their stamp on those Wares which they have or meane to have a right unto It pleaseth God thus to condiscend unto us by applying himselfe to humane contracts Hee appropriates his own to shew that hee hath chosen and singled them out for himselfe to delight in Sealing further serves to make things authenticall to give authority and excellencie The Seale of the Prince is the authority of the Prince This gives validity to things answerable to the dignity and esteeme of him that seales These are the foure principall uses of sealing And God by his spirit doth al theseto his 1. He stamps his own Image upon us he distinguisheth us from others even from the great refuse of the world God by his spirit appropriates us to himselfe hee makes us to be his and shewes that we are his hee likewise authorizethus and puts an excellencie upon us to secure us against all temptations when wee have Gods seale on us we stand firme in the greatest triall who shall seperate us from the love of God wee dare defie all objections of Sathan and accusations of conscience whatsoever A man that hath Gods seale stands impregnable in the most tempestuous season For it is given for our assu rance and not for Gods the Lord knowes who are his hee seales not because he is ignorant but for our comfort and establishment Whether is the spirit it selfe this seale or the work of the spirit and the graces thereof wrought in us I answer the Spirit of God where it is is a sufficient seale that God hath set us out for himselfe for whosoever hath the Spirit of Christ the same is his He is the Author of our sealing so that except you take the Spirit for that which is wrought by the Spirit you have not the comprehension of sealing for that which the Spirit worketh is the seale the spirit goes alwayes with his owne mark and impression Other seales when they are removed from the stamp the stamp remaines still but the Spirit of God dwells and keepes a perpetuall residence in the heart of a Christian guiding him moving him enlightning him governing him comforting him doing all offices of a seale in his heart till hee hath brought him to heaven The Holy Ghost never leaves us it is the sweetest inhabitant that ever lodging was given to he doth all the saving good that is done to the soule and is perpetually with his own work in joy and comfort though he seeme sometimes to be in a corner of the heart and is not easily discerned yet he alwayes dwels in his sealed ones What is that stamp that the Spirit seales us withall The Spirit works in this order for the most part First of all the Spirit doth together with the Word which is the instrument and the Chariot wherein it is carried convince us of the ill that is in us and the misery attending on us for the same It convinceth us of sinne and the fearefull estate we are in by that and abaseth us thereupon therefore it is called the Spirit of bondage because it makes a man tremble and quake till he see his peace made up in Christ. When hee hath done this then he convinceth us of righteousnesse by a sweet light discovering the excellencies of the Lord Jesus and the remedy in him provided for sinners God opens the eye of the soul to see the all-sufficiency of his Sons sanctâ—fication and inclines the heart to cast it selfe by faith upon him When we are throughly convinced of the ill that is in us and of the good that is in Christ and are moved by the Holy Ghost to go out of our selves and imbrace reconciliation in the Lord Jesus then a superadded worke is vouchsafed unto us for the Spirit daily perfecteth his owne
but a little signe of grace in me Be not discouraged you know in wax though the stamp be almost out yet it is currant in Law notwithstanding Put the case the stamp of the Prince be an old Coyne is it not currant though it bee crackt Suppose the mark of the Spirit should bee dim and blurred scarce discernable in us this ought to bee our shame and griefe yet some evidences of grace are still remaining there are some sighes and groanes against corruption which may continually support us if we mourne in our spirits and doe not joyne with our lusts nor allow our selves in them this is a divine impression though it bee as it were almost worne out the more comfort wee desire the fresher she should keepe this seale of comfort And labour to grow in faith and obedience that we may reade our evidence cleerely that it be not over-growne with the dust of the world so as we cannot see it Sometimes Gods children have the graces of the Spirit in them yet they yeeld so much to feares and doubtings that they can read nothing but their corruption When we bid them puruse their evidences they can see nothing but worldlinesse nothing but pride and envie because they grieve the holy Spirit by their negligence and distrust Though there be a stamp in them yet God holds the soule from it and gives men up to mistake their estates for not stirring up the graces of his Spirit in them Honour God by beleeving and he will honour thee by stamping his Spirit more cleerely on thee what a comfort is it to have the evidence of a gratious soule at all times When a man carries about him the marke of the Spirit what in the world can discourage such a soule On the contrary if a man have not something above nature in him when death judgement comes how miserable is his condition If a man be a King or an Emperour of the World and have not an interest in Christs righteousnesse ere long he shall be stripped of all and adjudged to eternall torments Oh the excellency of mans soule a Jewell more to be prized then a Princes Diadem It is the solly of the times to set up curious Pictures but what a poore delight is this in comparison of the ambition of a true Christian to see the Image of Christ stamped in his soule to finde the joy of the Spirit and God speaking peace to his inner man The transforming of our selves into the image of Christ is the best Picture in the world therefore we should labour for the new creature that as we grow downeward one way we may grow up towards Heaven another that as the life of nature decayes so the spirituall life may bee more active and working It should be our daily study while we live in this world to attain that holinesse without which no man shall ever see God There is besides the common broad Seale of God his privie Seal What is the reason that many proud hearted persons are damned the truth is they are all for externall contentments and despise the ordinances of GOD for though they stand upon their admission into the Church upon the common seales and prerogatives which in themselves are excellent yet relying on these things overmuch betrayes many soules to the Devill in the time of distresse It is an other manner of seale than the outward seale in the Sacrament that must settle peace in the conscience When once the beginnings of faith are wrought in us then wee may with comfort thinke upon our receiving of the Communion but the speciall thing to be eyed is the hidden seale If the externall meanes work no inward sanctificatiō in our hearts we shall be the worse rather than the better for them yet we must not be so prophane as to think slightly of Gods Ordinances they are of great consequence For when Satan shakes the confidence of a Christian and saith Thou art an Hypocrite God doth not love thee these help us to hold out why saith the soule I can speak by experience that I have found the contrary the Lord hath removed my feares he hath pardoned my sinne and accepted my person he hath given me many Pretious Promises to support my spirit Here is the excellency of the Sacrament it comes more home to me it seales the generall Promises of God particularly to my selfe for finding the inward worke of the Spirit in my heart and God having strengthned my faith by the outward seale I can defie Satan with all his accusations and look death in the face with comfort We should labour therefore to observe Gods sealing dayes when he uses to manifest himselfe to his people which though it may be every day if wee be spiritually exercised yet it is in the Lords day more especially for then his ordinance and his Spirit go together Now there is a sealing of persons and of truths besides the sealing of our estates that we are the children of God there is a sealing of every particular truth to a Christian. For where there is grace to beleeve the truth God seales those truths firmely to that soule by the comforts of his Spirit For example this is a truth Whosoever beleeves in Christ shall not perish but have everlasting life Now the same Spirit that stirs up the soule to beleeve this seales it fast upon the conscience even to death there is no promise but upon our beleeving the same it is sealed by God upon us for those truths only abide firme in the soule which the Holy Ghost sets on What is the reason that many forget their consolations the reason is they heare much but the Spirit settles nothing on their hearts What is the reason that lettered men many times stand out in their profession to blood whereas those that are more able and learned yeeld to any thing The reason is the knowledge of the one is set fast upon the soule the Spirit brings his seale and this mans knowledge close together whereas the learning and abilities of the other is only a discoursive thing swimming in the braine without any sollid foundation their knowledge of truths is not spiritual they see not heavenly things by heavenly but by a naturall light Those that would not apostatize must have a knowledge sutable to the things they know they must see spirituall things by the Spirit of GOD. Therefore when we come to heare the Word wee should not come with strong conceits of our owne to bring all to our wits but with reverent dispositions and dependance upon God that he would teach us together with his Ministers and close with his Ordinances so as to fasten truths upon our soules else shall wee never hold out for that which must stablish and quiet the soule must bee greater than the soule In time of tentations when the terrours of the Almighty encompasse us when God layes open our conscience and writes bitter things against us those
truths that most satisfie the soule at such a time must be above the naturall capacity of the soule therefore saith the Apostle It is God that establishes and God by his Spirit that seales us up unto the day of redemption because divine truths of themselves in the bare letter cannot stirre up the heart it is only the blessed Spirit which is above our spirits that must quiet the conscience in all perplexities the Lord can soone still the soule when he settles spirituall truths upon it therefore go to him in thy distresse and trouble of minde send up ejaculations to God that hee would seale the comfort revealed in his word to thy soule that as it is true in it selfe so it may be true to thee likewise This is a necessary observation for us all Oh we desire in the houre of death to finde some comforts that bee standing comforts that may uphold us against Hell and judgement Know that nothing will do this but spirituall truths spiritually knowne but holy truths set on by the Holy Ghost upon the soule Oft therfore enter into thine heart and examine upon what grounds and motives thou beleevest Consider well what it is thou beleevest and upon what evidences and withwhat light otherwise expect not to find sollid peace What course may a Christian generally take when hee wants comfort and inward refreshing There are in 1 Iohn 5. three witnesses in heaven three in earth to secure us of our estate in grace The three witnesses in heaven are the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost And the three witnesses in earth are the Spirit the Water and Bloud and these three on earth and those three in heaven agree in one Now by the Spirit here is meant the feelings and sweet motions thereof the water may well be the Laver of Sanctification by bloud is understood the sufferings of Christ for our justification When therefore wee find that extraordinarie seale I spake of before the joyes of the Spirit of God that it is not in us What shall we doe shall wee despaire then No then goe to the water when the witnesse of the Spirit is silent goe to the work of the Spirit see what gracious dispositions are found in thee I but what shall we do if the waters be troubled in the soule as some times there is such a confusion that we cannot see the Image of God upon it in sanctification Then goe to the bloud there is alwayes comfort goe to the fountaine set open for Iudah and Ierusalem to wash in that is never dry If we find much sinne upon our consciences and no peace in our hearts apply the bloud of sprinkling that will give rest When thou findest nothing but corruption and filthinesse in thy soule when thou seest neither joy nor sanctification of Spirit goe to the Lord Jesus and hee will purge thee from all guilt and wash thee with clean water But to goe on Who hath sealed us and given us the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts This is the third word borrowed from humane Contracts to set forth Gods gracious work in the soule Annointing wee had before sealing now here is earnest The variety of expression shewes there is a great remainder of unbeliefe in the soule of man which causeth the blessed Spirit to use so many words to manifest Gods mind and assure the soule of salvation stablishing annointing sealing and earnest And indeed so it is howsoever we in the time of prosperity when all things goe well with us are apt to presume our estate is good yet in the houre of death when conscience is awaked we are prone to nothing so much as to call all in question and beleeve the lies and doubts and feares of our owne deceitfull hearts more than the undoubted truth and promise of God Therefore the Lord takes all courses to establish us he gives us rich and pretious promises hee gives us the holy Spirit to confirme us in those promises he seales us with that Spirit and gives us a comfortable earnest thereof and all to settle these wretched unbeleeving hearts of ours So desirous is God that wee should be well conceited of him that hee loves us better than wee love our selves Hee prizeth our love so much that he labours by all meanes to secure us of our eternall welfare as knowing that except we apprehend his love to us wee can never love him againe nor delight in him as we ought to doe Now the Spirit is an earnest of our inheritance in heaven wee are sonnes here indeed but wee are not heires invested into the blessed estate we have title to God doth notkeep all our happinesse till another world but gives us somewhat to comfort us in our absence from our husband hee gives us the Holy Ghost in our hearts as a pledge of that glorious condition which wee shall one day have eternally with him this is the meaning of the words But to shew you more particularly In what regard the Spirit is called an earnest First of all you know an earnest is used for security of a Contract So the holy Spirit doth secure us of the blessed estate we shall have in heaven for ever Secondly an earnest is part of the bargaine a part of the whole which is secured though it be a very little part yet it is a part So it is with the Spirit of God in its gracious work upon our hearts the joy of the Spirit is a part of that full joy and happinesse which shall bee revealed hereafter to us Thirdly an earnest is little in comparison of the whole So the Spirit in the work and graces therof is little in regard of that fulnesse which wee shall have in heaven But though an earnest be smal in it selfe yet it is great in security A shilling secures a bargaine of a thousand pound we see Wee value an earnest not for its owne worth so much as for that which it is a pledge of for the excellent bargaine and rich possession which it doth interest us unto So the Spirit of God with its blessed effects in the soule the joy and peace of the Spirit chearing and reviving perplexed sinners this earnest I say though it be little in it selfe yet it is great to us in respect of the assurance that we have by it Againe it hath the terme of an earnest because an arnest is given rather for the security of the party that receives it than in regard of him that gives it So God gives us the earnest of his Spirit grace and comfort in this life not so much for God for hee meanes to give us heaven and happinesse when wee are dissolved As he hath passed his promise so hee will undoubtedly performe the same Hee is Lord and Master of his word Hee is Jehovah that gives a being to his word as well as to every other thing But notwithstanding having to doe with mistrustfull
heathen could say that we are then best in soule when we are weakest in body for then we are most in heavenly resolutions and seeking after God Yea then it appeares what good proficients we have beene in time of health Oh how happy were our conditions if we were as good when wee are well and in health as we usually are when we are sick and ill Even death it self which is the end of all though it be fearefull and irksome to nature yet it is to Gods servants a bed of Downe easing them of all their miseries and putting them in possession of an heavenly kingdome therefore saith Solomon the day of death is better than the day of birth God will be the God of his not only unto death but in death Death is the death of it selfe and not of us it is a disarmed and conquered enemy to all the faithfull for which cause S. Paul desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Death albeit it seemes terrible and dreadfull yet the sting thereof being taken away by the death of Christ it brings everlasting joy along with it and is only as a Groom-Porter to let us in to a stately Pallace Whether tend all the troubles we meet with in this world but only to fit us for a better condition hereafter and to assure the soule that when earth can hold it no longer Heaven shall Yea when friends forsake us and are false unto us God is a sure helpe in time of need he is our refuge from one generation to another do we not see that in the decay of worldly comforts God then manifests himselfe most comfortably to his people doth he not stile himselfe the Comforter of the comfortlesse and the helpe of them that are in distresses and doe not with him the fatherlesse finde mercy if men were more fatherlesse they would find more mercy at Gods hands As Christ makes us al to him so should we make him all in all to our selves If all comforts in the world were dead we have them still in the living Lord. How many friends have we in him alone who rather than we shall want friends can make our enemies our friends Thus it appeares that all miseries are a triall of us to God and to the world what we are they are a cure of sin past and a preparation to endure further crosses they have many excellent uses and ends and all for the best to Gods servants It is good we should be exercised with present crosses to put us in minde of the evils we have done long agoe that so we may repent of them Iosephs brethren being afflicted and imprisoned called to minde how hardly they had dealt with their brother long before It should be our wisdome while we remaine here to consider our warfaring condition how we are daily invironed with enemies and therefore ought to stand continually upon our guard against Satan and the Powers of darknesse and as Pilgrims and Strangers go on in our journey to Heaven not starting at the barking of every Dog nor intangling our selves in worldly things whereby we should be stopped in our way It is for our best not to bee condemned with the world Afflictions serve for this very end to make us more prize God deny the creature with all its excellencies are our crosses great here let us not be daunted but beare them patiently our comfort shall be the greater afterwards It is not only good for us that wee should have crosses but that they should be continued upon us that wee may the better know our selves If all were well with a man wounded and the sore clean healed the plaister would fall off it selfe So were wee thorowly cured of our spirituall wants and in a continuall resistance of every evill way These afflictions which are the plaisters of our soules would soone cease and leave us Furthermore Sathan himselfe and all his instruments when they most set themselves against Gods people and seek their overthrow then are they working their chief good The Devill when hee thought to make an end of Christ by putting him to death even then by that very thing was vanquished himselfe and the Church of God fully ransomed from hell and damnation God suffers many heretiques to be in the world but why not that the truth should be held in darknesse but that it might thereby bee more manifested and knowne It is Sathans continuall trade to seeke his rest in our disquiet When hee sees men will to heaven and that they have good title to it then he followes them with all tentations and discomforts that hee can Hee cannot endure that a creature of meaner rank than himselfe should enjoy a happinesse beyond him but our comfort is that Christ was tempted that hee might succour all poore soules in the like case Wee are kept by his power through faith unto salvation Now the causes why all things doe work together for the best to them that love God are these viz. 1. It is Gods Decree 2. It is Gods manner of working 3. It is Gods blessed Covenant 4. It is the foundation of the covenant Christ Iesus Gods decree and purpose is of bringing all his Elect unto eternall salvation and therefore all things in heaven and earth must conduce to bring his servants unto glory The reason is this God is infinitely wise and infinitely strong provident and good therefore by his infinite wisedome power providence and mercie hee turneth all things to the best for his whatsoever is in heaven earth or hell is ordered by God neither is there any thing without him therefore nothing can hinder his Decree Sathan himselfe with all his instruments yea the worst of creatures all must serve Gods purpose contrary to their natures for the good of his children The Prophet saith God hath commanded salvation and he hath commanded deliverance to Iacob When God hath determined to save any man all things must needs serve him that over-rules all things As it was said of Christ when he stilled the Seas Who is this that the very wind and Seas obey him God commanded the Whale to serve at his beck to save Ionah and it obeyed All creatures in the earth are at his disposing and serve to accomplish his pleasure The second cause why all works together for the best to beleevers Is the manner of God working in things which is by contraries he bringeth light out of darknesse glory out of shame and life out of death Wee fell by pride to hell and destruction and must be restored by humiliation to life and salvation Christ humbled himselfe being God to become man for us and by his death restored us to life When our sinnes had brought us to greatest extremities even then were we nearest to eternal happinesse Therefore saith the Apostle When wee are weak then are we strong in the Lord. When wee are abased then are wee readiest
faith In all cases of extremity we should have a double eye one to look upon our grievances and troubles and another to look upon the issue and event of them Why do men in time of dangerous sicknesse take bitter Physick which is almost death unto them Why doe they then undergo such things as they loath at other times Is it not because they rest upon the skill of the Physitian And shall we then in our distresses dist rust God for our souls when we will trust a weak and mortall man with our bodies If conceit be so strong in earthly things as indeed it is then faith is much stronger when it grounds it selfe upon the truth of the Word When God exercises us with poverty or other afflictions this should teach us submission to his providence in any condition saying Lord do with me what thou wilt only let this poore soule be pretious in thine eyes Thou hast promised that howsoever these afflictions lie heavie upon me yet in the end al shall turn to my good therefore dispose of thy servant at thine owne pleasure I resigne all to thee Here is the rejoycing of a Christian which makes him cheerefully passe through any affliction he knowes that good is intended in all that befals him with what alacrity did Ioseph say unto his brethren Ye sold me hither but God hath turned it to the best that I should preserve and nourish you all and save much people alive who otherwise were like to have perished with famine This made Iob so patiently to say The Lord giveth the Lord taketh blessed be the name of the Lord. This is the ground of all true contentation I have learned saith S. Paul in all estates to be content to be rich and to be poore to abound and to be in want and why so Whatsoever his estate and condition was God turned it to the best shall any man dare to mislike of Gods allowlowance Doth not hee know better what is good for us than we can possibly imagine what is good for our selves This likewise should teach us not to take offence at the reproach and disgrace which is cast upon Gods children for mark the righteous saith David and behold the upright the end of that man is peace The issue of their trouble is ever quietnesse take not one peece of a Christian mans life by it selfe but take it altogether and then thou shalt see the truth of this Doctrine To see Ioseph in the Dungeon and in his irons we haply may bee offended and call Gods providence in question but beholding him in his honour and advancement we cannot but conclude him a happy man So if we look on Iob sitting with sores on the Dunghill there is matter of offence but to see him restored againe and blessed with a greater estate than he had before this is matter of praising God If we consider of Christ abased hanging upon a Crosse so there will be scandall but looke on him exalted to glory far above all Dignities and Powers and then the scandall is soone taken away Let us theresore lay one thing to another when we eye Gods people and we shall see a blessing under their greatest curse Those things which are contrived by mans wit may argue great folly if one part be not annexed to the other therefore looke to the whole work towards his servants and then thou shalt never be offended at their condition This also is a ground of Christian boldnesse in holy courses when a man is fully resolved that come what will come God will turne all to his good it encourages him cheersully to go through any difficulty what is the reason of the fearesulnesse and dastardnesse of most men but only this that if wee doe this or that duty or abstaine not from this or that good action then this crosse and this displeasure by such and such a person will bee brought upon me The Wise man saith That the feare of man bringeth a snare but hee that trusteth in the Lord shall be exalted Let us not regarding the feare of man neglect our duty to God for he can turne the hearts of the Kings on the Earth to seek the welfare of his poorest creature and make thy very enemies to be thy friends He that for sinister ends will offend his Maker may well be excluded to the gods whom they have served Go to the Great men whose persons you have obeyed for advantage to your riches to your pleasures which you have loved more than God or goodnesse You would not lose a base custome a superfluity for me therefore I will not owne you now Such men are more impudent than the Devill himselfe that will claime acquaintance with God at last when they have carried themselves as his enemies all their dayes God wants not means to maintaine his without being beholding to the Devill He hath all helpe hid in himselfe and will then shew it when it shall make most for his owne glory He deserves not to live under the protection of a King that will displease him for feare of a Subject The three Children in Daniel said Know O King that our God can deliver us out of thy hands but if he will not yet neverthelesse we will not fall down and worship thine Image The righteous are bold as a Lion saith the Wise man the Lord is his strong Tower What need we feare any creature when wee have him on our side who hath both Men and Devils at his beck And if God turne all things whatsoever to our good should not wee through the whole carriage of our lives chiefly aime at his honour God writes our names in his Book he numbers our hairs and bottles up our teares he hath a speciall care of us every good deed wee doe he writeth downe to eternity yea if we give but a cup of cold water in his name he taketh notice of it and shall not wee then take speciall occasion to magnifie him in all things We pray daily Hallowed be thy name therfore ought accordingly to observe Gods dealing with us How is it possible that we should give him the glory of his mercies if we never observe them A wicked man considers this makes for my advantage and this for my profit this tends to my ease and wealth c. studying how to make friends and please persons in place above him not respecting Gods honour and glory in the least kind whereas the sincere Chri stian lookes on all things as they tend to his best happinesse and therfore fore-cast thus If I do this or that good then I shall grow in grace wisdom and knowledge but if I neglect it and be carelesse of well doing I shall hurt and wound my soule and break the peace of my conscience by this company and good acquaintance I shall be furthered in holinesse become wiser and better in heavenly understanding if I fall they may raise me
and prophanenesse and yet for all this say they love God Is it possible that the love of God and the love of sinne shold ever stand together Proceed wee now to some reasons and directions for the attaining of this grace And first let us not rest in an inferiour degree of this affection but rise up therin and labour that it may have full assent There are degrees of assent as when we love God because we love our selves a naturall man may doe so but this is not enough for if wee love God for our selves we make our selves our God Where the heart is truly set upon God it delights in him only for himselfe and takes comfort in no condition further than he sees God in it He never affected Christ in truth that is more taken with the benefits and priviledges that come by him than with the excellency of his person What friend will bee content that a man should only love him because he doth him good We must love our selves and all other things in and for God Moses and Paul rejoyced to honour the Lord though themselves were accurfed and deprived of happinesse and if wee could so love Christ as not to desire heaven it selfe if Christ were not there This were truly to affect him for indeed if Christ were not there heaven should not be heaven unto us Wee must love our happinesse no further than we can have with it Gods good leave and liking Againe we shall know our love to God whether it be sincere or no by our abstaining from sinne If wee avoid evill for feare of punishment or hope of reward only our love is unsound but when we so love God that wee will not doe any thing contrary to his spirit it is a speciall signe Such a man if there were no hell to punish him nor place of blisse to receive him yet would not breake with God upon any termes For the meanes to attaine this love we must in the first place labour for an humble empty soule Blessed are the poore in Spirit saith Christ for such only apprehend their misery without Christ and their need of him which occasions an holy rejoycing in the Lord and unfained love to him What is the reason that some are so ravished with the favours of the Almighty Is it not for that they were so formerly stung with the sight and feeling of their sinnes the more loving Christian ever the more humble Christian. Mark it when you will and you shall find this disposition manifest in every true convert they are daily humbling themselves for the least offence A second direction is to tast of the love of God in Christ. When the beams of his favour once shine into our hearts we cannot but reflect upon him againe We love him saith the Apostle because he loved us first Mary therefore loved much because shee had experience of Gods love in forgiving her many sinnes When a broken humble soule truly savoureth the goodnesse of the Lord it cannot but be enflamed with desire after him A Christian after hee hath had a taste of the love of God hath another manner of judgement of justification than before Taste and see saith David how good and gracious the Lord is A man that rellishes the sweetnesse of a thing can better judge of it than hee which never tasted it A third direction is to see what motives and reasons wee have from the love of God in Christ to exercise our understanding this way Wee know heat commeth from light and there is a sympathie betweene the braine and the heart the braine must make a report to the heart before that can bee enflamed with affection therefore seriously search into the grounds of thy affection The first ground is goodnesse in God God is goodnesse it self in whom all good is involved if therefore wee love other things for the goodnesse which wee see in them Why doe wee not love God in whom is all goodnesse All other things are but sparks of that fire and drops of that Sea seest thou any good in the creature remember there is much more in the Creator leave therefore the streames and goe to the well-head of comfort Another reason of love is our affinity with God our Father and friend who is unto us in all degrees of neerenesse both our head and our husband were not the Sonne ours what fellowship could we have with the Father having such a Mediator with God that is bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh why should we feare to go unto him He hath taken upon him these comfortable relations of Shepheard and Brother to possesse us of his acquaintance with our infirmities and readinesse to releeve us For shall others by his grace fulfill what hee calls them unto and not he that out of his love hath taken upon him these relations so throughly founded upon his Fathers assignment and his owne voluntary undertaking How doth the tender Mother sympathize in the anguish of her child notwithstanding all its froward aversenesse and shall we think there is more bowells in our selves than in God can there be more sweetnesse in the streame than in the spring If the well of consolation be alwayes open and the fountaine of living water bee never shut up let us teach our hearts to suck and draw comfort from these rivers of refreshing What a shame is it that men should hunger at such a feast Consider likewise the benefits which wee have bestowed upon us and the end why God vouchsafes us so much favour Benefits win love even from bruit creatures therfore wee are worse than beasts if we love not God for his benefits The Oxe knowes his owner and the Asse his Masters Crib what are wee indeed but an heap of Gods benefits All our faculties of soule and body are the blessings of God Whatsoever wee have or hope to have is from him Our breath life and being subsists in God who hath promised that heaven and earth men and Devils crosses and blessings sinne and death all shall be turned by his over-ruling power to our good Consider what now we are what a happy condition God hath made us capable of hereafter Is it a small matter that wee should be regarded above the Angels that fell And that he who knew no sin should be made sinne for us nay become a curse to free us from the curse It was strange that the three Children being cast into the hot fiery Furnace should not burne So likewise it is a wonder that Christians being in the midst of the flame of Gods love should be so cold and dead hearted it is not only the guilt of sin that we are freed from but the unsupportable vengeance of the Almighty due for the same and is this a small matter If we regard the manner of bestowing his benefits it will much advance Gods goodnesse towards us and raise up our spirits to love him againe Doth not
17. Rom. 8. Faith and Hope what they are and of what use Heb. 11. 1. Division of the Promises Temporal promises conditionall Mark 10. 20. Vse Object Answ. Deut 28. 16. Quest. Answ. How to get in Christ. Quest. Answ. Iohn 17. 3 Quest. Answ. Phil. 3. 8. Phil. 3. 8. The stability of a Christian having promises Heb. 13. 5. 1 Tim. 4. 8 Psal. 88. 4. Psal. 91. Psal. 112. 7 Psal. 12. Psal. 119. Obser. 1. A Christian needs stablishing grace Obser. 2. The life of a Christian fullof dependancy Mar. 16. 17 18 19 Vse 1 Sam. 2. 9. Prov. 3. Psal. 115. Object Answ. How to discerne establishing grace Helpes to obtâ—ine confirming grace Object Answ. Psal. 9. 10. Sue the Promises in Prayer Quest. Answ. Why troubles are so irksome Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Psal. 105. 15 The Spirits sealing Quest. Answ. What our sealing is and the use of it Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Ephes. 1. 13. Answ. Quest. Quest. Answ. Quest. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Psal. 42. 13 Vse Psal. 45. Psal. 116. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. In want of comfort what is to be done Quest. Answ. Why the Spirit is called an earnest Quest. Answ. God meanes truly in giving his earnest Assurance of our estates not alwayes alike A double act of faith to work assurance Things hindring our assurance Sense of Gods love how preserved Quest. Answ. Quest. Quest. Answ. Symptomes of the Spirits inhabitation out of Rom. 8. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. How the Spirit is grieved Parts of the Text. Psal. 119. Quest. Answ. Doct. All good things 1 God the Father 2 God the Sonne 3 God the Holy Ghost 4 Angells Psal. 34. 5 Magistrates 6 Ministers 7 The Word 8 Sacraments 9 Outward gifts 10 Outward gifts of Reprobates 11 Favour of Princes 1 Sinne. 2 Corruption of nature 3 Inward and outward grosse sins 1. Doubtings 2 Anger covetousnesse c. 3 〈◊〉 sinnes 4 Carnall sinnes Gal. 6. 6. 5 Sins of others of Gods children Vse Vse 4 Desertions Psal. 6. 5 Wounded Spirit Luke 4. 1. 6 Blasphemous thoughts 7 Continuance in sinne 8 Outward evils 9 Slanders 10 Evils of body 11 Death 12 Death of friends Afflictions 14 Devil and Hereticks Causes why all things work together for the best 1 Gods Decree 2 Gods maner of working 3 Gods covenant 4 Foundation of the covenant Gal. 4. Object Answ. Iob 3. 25. 2 Chron. 31. 33. Object Answ. Simile Object Answ. Evils not to be done that good may come thereof Matth. 4. 4 Danger of wilfull sinning Note 1 God 2 Creatures 3 Good gifts 4 Truth of God 1 Iustification 2 Châ—istian liberty 3 Mor ality 1 Cor. 4 Gods patience 5 The Word Evill things 1 Spirituall ill things 2 Outward evils and crosses Causes Vse Vse Obser. 1. Salvation certaine Obser. 2. Gods particular providence to be observed Obser. 3. Observ. 4 Observ. 5 2 Cor. 6. A ground of understanding the promises A direction to pray for temporall blessings Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Psal. 34. Psal. 24. Double eye A Christians joy And contentment Vse 5. Holy boldnesse Prov. 29. Prov. 28. 1 Vse 6. 2 Persons to whom this prviledge belongs Excellency of love Christianity not a bâ—re title only Comfort not to be preached to all Ground of love Nature of the love of God 1 Branch Triall whether we have made a right choice 2 Triall Rom 8. 3 Triall 2 Branch Desire to please the beloved True love rejoyeeth in suffering 3 Branch Love covets union 2 It adviseth with the party loved 3 And fits it selfe for his appearing And hungers after God Psal. 4â— 4 Branch Psal. 77. Psal. 4. Psal. 51. Psal. 18. Psal. 71. Quest. Answ. Psal. 26. Directions unto love 2 Direction Meanes to attaine the love of God Psal. 34. 1 Grounds of our love to God Motives to stir up exercise in the love of God